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HISTORY OF 
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 
and Vicinity 
1513 to 1924 


é 


By 
T. FREDERICK DAVIS 


Author of 
“History of Early Jacksonville” 


nnn mr a a a nr re ES EE A, 


Published by 
THE FLORIDA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
1925 


Copyright 1925 
All Rights Reserved 
by 
T. FREDERICK DAVIS 
(See last paragraph of Foreword) 


Press of 
The Record Company, St. Augustine, Florida 


AUG 1 4 1943 


WINKLER 





FOREWORD 


Two times there was a wholesale destruction of Jackson- 
Ville’s official records—in the War Between the States and 
by the fire of May 3, 1901. The author’s effort in this work 
was to collect all of the available authentic matter for per- 
manent preservation in book form. The record closes as of 
December 31, 1924. 

The record is derived from many sources—long forgotten 
books and pamphlets; old letters and diaries that have been 
stored away as family memorials of the past; newspapers 
beginning with theSt. Augustine Herald in 1822 (on fileat the 
Congressional Library at Washington) fragmentary for the 
early years, but extremely valuable for historical research; 
almost a complete file of local newspapers from 1875 to date; 
from the unpublished statements of old residents of condi- 
tions and outstanding events within the period of their clear 
recollection; and from a multitude of other sources of reli- 
ability. The search through the highways and the byways 
for local history was in the spare moments of the author 
stretching over a period of a score of years, a pastime 
“hobby” with no idea of making money out of it. No attempt 
has been made to discuss the merits of any incident, but 
only to present the facts, just as they were and just as they 
are, from the records and sources indicated. 

It is an unwritten law of copyright to give credit for the 


~--use of another’s record or research in any publication. Such 


_~ acknowledgment is made herein by connecting marks in the 


text leading to footnotes and to the bibliographies found at 


the end of each chapter. The use of the single asterisk (*) 
~~ is reserved to indicate observations or remarks by the author 


— of this history thrown into the text as little sidelights con- 


: -nected with the subject. This publication is fully protected 
- under copyright with all rights reserved by the author; how- 
- ever it is not his desire to restrict its use as a reference his- 


© tory, and the courtesy of the unwritten law referred to above 


=x 


~ is extended to those who may find use for it. 


T. FREpERIcK Davis, 
Jacksonville, Florida. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 
(Face page noted) 


Maps Page 
St. Johns River, Jacksonville to the ocean............. 1 
Fort Caroline and. Vicinity (ic ta eee 13 
Kings Road through site of Jacksonville............. 26 
Jacksonville as originally surveyed in 1822........... 55 
Child’s'map of Jacksonville, 1847.3 > po a ee 85 
Built-up portion of Jacksonville in the 1850’s.......... 87 
Map of Jacksonvillé, (1859 oor e rw eae eee ae ee 115 
Railroad ‘map of Jacksonville, 1884... 2.0. 1. 0 oWveee 356 
Map. or area‘burned sini 189) oe Na On ee 193 
Map of:area burned an LOOL) i. ea a ee 225 

Illustrations 

Where the “Vale of Laudonniere’”’ used to be.......... 12 
Huguenot ring found in an Indian mound............. 17 
Dwellings of the log-cabin period.............-.c00e- 68 
Vicinity of Forsyth and Main Streets in 1874......... 141 
Nreedmen’s Bank. building...) 24). Gis is aie Seles sl ee ee 141 
Saloon of a St. Johns River steamboat, 1885.......... 363 
Bird’s-eye view of Jacksonville, 1886................ 172 
pealiot Jacksonville iii POM aie De iti ote er 293 
First factory-made automobile in Florida............ 379 
Fire burning Jacksonville m1901. 0 pe tae oe 219 
Jacksonville in ashes, 1901, panorama view........... 244 
St. James Hotel, burned in 1901.00... 0 400 eee eee 487 
City ‘Hall burnédin TOO eee eee ee 332 
County Courthouse, burned in 1901.................. 64 
County Clerk’s Office, burned in 1901................ 65 
County ‘Armory, ‘burned!’ 1901.0) ay ee ee A474 
Sky-line of Jacksonville in 19080000 er ee 244 
Flag of Jacksonville rive ole wala a earn eee ace ane 422 
Block'plan of St; Luke's Hospitaly 2a a 426 
Sky-line of Jacksonville, 1914-1924). vo ie 244 


Airplane view of modern Jacksonville................ 284 





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HISTORY OF 
JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 





CHAPTER I 
THE OPENING OF OUR HISTORY 


March 27, 1513, was Easter Sunday, Pascua Florida in 
the language of the Spaniard. Along the stretch that we 
now call the Florida east coast north of Canaveral the 
weather was stormy and the sea was running high. Off shore 
three caravels lingered with sails reefed down, for land had 
been sighted that day and the adventurers aboard, wishing 
to investigate, hove to for the weather to calm. They loi- 
tered northerly along the coast a week; then they headed in, 
and in the night, April 2, came to anchor near the beach. 

Here the commander with his principal officers formally 
landed, probably at sunrise of April 3d. Throwing the royal 
banner of Spain to the breeze they declared allegiance to the 
crown and proclaimed possession of the country, which they 
supposed was an island, in the name of Ferdinand, their king. 
Following the custom of that day to commemorate impor- 
tant events with the names of feast days or patron Saints, 
in this case, because the discovery was made on Easter Sun- 
day, they named the new land Florida. 

This scene on the beach was the landing of Juan Ponce 
de Leon and the opening of the positive history of the white 
man in North America. Fortunately, Ponce de Leon recorded 
the location of his landing and as it is the only record the 
observation 30 degrees and 8 minutes latitude must forever 
designate the locality where he first landed on the soil of 
Florida. Laid down on the map today, the location is about 
11 miles south of the pier at Pablo Beach and within 25 miles 
of Jacksonville straight away. 


*JIt would appear that the existence of flowers here had 
nothing to do with naming the country. The native flora of 
the coastal beach section is there today, and one would wonder 
what Ponce de Leon, coming from verdant Porto Rico, could 
have seen to cause the enthusiasm attributed to him by history 
writers. The embellishment of the record to the effect that 


2 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


“the land was fresh in the bloom of Spring and the fields were 
covered with flowers” is pretty and pleasing, but it does not 
conform to the circumstances as we know them now in the 
early part of April even in the mildest season. 


There is no record that Ponce de Leon explored the coun- 
try away from the coast. He found nothing here to lead him 
to suspect the existence of gold and precious metals in the 
country; and incidentally, no spring the waters of which 
possessed the qualities of restoring health and vigor, that 
tradition said existed somewhere in this part of the world. 
He did not tarry long. Boarding his vessels on the 8th of 
April, he soon turned back, struggling against the currents 
of the gulf stream in his progress southward. 


* From the top of the sand dunes in that locality the eye 
rests upon what appear to be refreshing woodlands. They 
are the oases hiding from view that stretch of marsh behind the 
dunes known as “The Guana,” beginning seven miles below 
Pablo Beach and extending south toward the mouth of the 
North River at St. Augustine. Those who have been in “The 
Guana” duck hunting and waded the mud flats and network of 
marsh creeks there know from experience why Ponce de Leon 
remained on the beach near his vessels and did not attempt to 
penetrate the interior at this point. 


Indians of That Dayt 


The natives of the Florida peninsula in Columbian times 
comprised a number of tribes, each governed by a different 
chief. They did not live in constant peace and harmony with 
one another and sometimes were engaged in bitter tribal 
wars. This part of Florida was occupied by the Timuqua or 
Timucua tribe, whose domain reached from the St. Marys 
River to the headwaters of the St. Johns, but principally 
along the lower St. Johns. 

The costumes of the Timuquas were scanty, being scarce- 
ly more than a loin-cloth of buckskin for the men and for the 
women a fringe of Spanish moss tied around the waist. Both 
men and women painted their bodies in fantastic fashion; 
both wore heavy stone ornaments suspended from the lobes 
of their ears which they pierced for the purpose. The men 
wore their hair drawn to a peak at the top of their heads and 





+ Bulletin of U. S. Bureau of Ethnology. 


. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 3 


tied like a topknot. The women wore no head decoration and 
left their hair flowing, except in cases of the death of a rela- 
tive or friend they “bobbed” their hair as a token of distress. 
A chief or headman decorated himself with the tail of a 
raccoon or a fox drooping from the peak at the top of his 
head; deer-hoof rattles dangled from his loin-cloth, while 
suspended from his neck on a buckskin string a large shell 
disc six inches or more in diameter was sometimes worn. 

These Indians were tall of stature, muscular and very 
strong. They were an agricultural people, raising crops of 
maize and vegetables and tilling their fields with implements 
of wood and shell. Tobacco was known to them and they 
used it as an emetic in cases of sickness. Among their cere- 
monials was the “Busk Ceremony,” sometimes referred to 
as the ““Green Corn Dance,” which lasted several days with 
a distinct ritual for each day. It was a harvest festival 
and celebration, but included ceremonials of penitence for 
crime within the tribe, as well as supplication for protection 
against injury from without. Their war ceremonies and cele- 
brations of victory were on the order of those of the early 
Creek Indians and doubtless originated in a common source. 

These were the people in possession of this part of Flor- 
ida when Ponce de Leon arrived. They were not the Semi- 
noles of a later day. 

It may safely be assumed that the visit of Ponce de Leon 
left a lasting impression on the minds of the natives and 
that long afterward when they were in sight of the ocean 
they would look out to sea for the strange objects that 
brought the pale-face to their shore. A generation was born, 
grew up, and passed into middle age, yet these had not re- 
turned. Reports had now and then sifted through from the 
lower coasts that the white man had been down there, or 
from the direction of the setting sun that he had passed that 
way; they had heard of pale-faced people held captive by 
neighboring tribes, and had knowledge of one even among 
themselves several days’ journey away; but it was not until 
the approach of the 50th annual harvest after Ponce de 
Leon’s time that runners announced the return of the white 
man’s vessels to this coast of Florida. 


4 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The French Arrive 


Gaspard de Coligny, Admiral of France and champion of 
the cause of the Huguenots, visualized the new land across 
the sea as a place where his unhappy countrymen might live 
according to their own ideals and at the same time build up 
a new dominion by colonization, thereby extending the pos- 
sessions of France. It was a dream of colonization upon the 
republican principle of freedom of thought; but in it also 
was another idea — that of conquest. Coligny had already 
attempted to plant such a colony in South America, in the 
harbor of Rio Janeiro, but it had perished. However, he 
did not despair, and early in 1562 he despatched another ex- 
pedition of two vessels from Havre de Grace to seek a place 
of settlement for the colony that was to follow. The com- 
mand of these vessels was given to Jean Ribault, a native of 
Dieppe and a Huguenot. 


* Ribault’s name was spelled in different ways by the 
historians of the 16th and 17th centuries. French—Ribauldus 
(rare), Ribauld, Ribault, Ribaut; the form with the “1” is the 
older. Spanish—Ribao. English—Ribault. 


Second in command of this expedition was Rene Goulaine 
de Laudonniere, likewise a Huguenot. Ribault steered a new 
course across the Atlantic north of the West Indies and came 
in sight of the Florida coast near the present site of St. Au- 
gustine on the last day of April. The weather being favor- 
able he sailed northward and just before sunset came to the 
mouth of a large river (the St. Johns), but did not enter it. 
He anchored outside the bar. 

At dawn the next day, which was May 1, 1562, Ribault 
and several officers and soldiers crossed the bar in their 
shallops (large rowboats with a number of oarsmen) for the 
purpose of exploring the river. They soon saw natives com- 
ing down to the bank of the river in a friendly manner, even 
pointing out to them the best place to land. Ribault and his 
party went ashore. An Indian approached and Ribault gave 
him a looking-glass. He ran with it to his chief, who took off 
his girdle and sent it to Ribault as a token of friendship. The 
two parties now approached each other. The natives greeted 
the white men with dignity and without indication of fear. 
After the greeting, the Frenchmen retired a short distance, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 5 


prostrated themselves, and gave thanks to God for their safe 
arrival. 

*This was the first Protestant prayer said within the 
limits of the United States; it cannot be positively stated that 
it was the first in North America, since there might have been 
Protestants with Roberval in Canada twenty years before. It 
was certainly not the first in the new world, for Coligny 
planted a Huguenot colony in the harbor of Rio de Janeiro in 
1555, seven years before, and in 1557 sent out 4 Protestant 
ministers to preach there. The South American colony existed 
until 1560. 


The natives watched the ceremony of the Frenchmen in 
perfect silence. When it was over, Ribault pointed his finger 
upward to indicate to them that the white man worshipped 
a Supreme Being. The chief, supposing that he meant the 
sun, pointed two fingers upward signifying worship of both 
sun and moon by them. 

Captain Ribault was much pleased with the manners and 
appearance of these natives. He says of them, “They be of 
goodly stature, mighty, fair, and as well shapen and propor- 
tioned of body as any people in the world; very gentle, cour- 
teous, and of good nature. The forepart of their body be 
painted with pretty devised works, of azure, red, and black, 
so well and so properly as the best painter of Europe could 
not amend it. The women have their bodies painted, too, 
and wear a certain herb like unto moss, whereof the cedar 
and all other trees be almost covered. The men for pleasure 
do trim themselves therewith, after sundry fashions.” 


*It has been said that the Spanish or gray moss is not 
native here, but the foregoing description is strong evidence 
that it is. 


These ceremonies took place on the north side of the 
river, where Ribault spent the forenoon. Distributing pres- 
ents among the natives and receiving in exchange fresh fish, 
which the Indians skillfully caught in reed nets, the French- 
men crossed over to the south side. The natives of the south 
side met Ribault in a friendly manner and offered fruit; but 
they seemed more suspicious than those of the north side, 
as they did not bring their women with them and had with 
them their bows and arrows. A few presents satisfied them, 


6 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


however, and the Frenchmen were allowed to go about un- 
molested. 

Ribault was greatly impressed with the natural growth 
on this side of the river. Trees, shrubs, plants and vines all 
excited his interest and wonder. His relation mentions 
grapes “of surpassing goodness” and vines that grew to the 
top of the tallest oaks; palms, cedar, cypress and bay trees. 

The Frenchmen spent the afternoon wandering over the 
high land near the mouth of the river. Toward sundown they 
again entered their shallops and returned to the ships out- 
side the bar. 


Ribault Proclaims Possession 


The next day (May 2d) the small boats were manned and 
Ribault, his officers and gentlemen again entered the river 
and brought with them a “pillar or column of hard stone 
with the King’s arms engraven thereon, to plant and set the 
same at the entry of the port, in some place, where it might 
be easily seen” (from boats entering the river). Coming to 
land on the south side, they selected a suitable spot on a little 
hill; here with appropriate ceremonies the monument was 
erected, and possession was taken of the country in the name 
of the king of France. 


* Shore-line and channel conditions at the mouth of the 
river have changed greatly since that day. The oldest maps 
show a projection on the south side of the mouth of the river 
like a protruding underlip. These primitive dunes were even- 
tually washed away. A part of the lip evidently was where the 
sand field is making up on the left as you approach the south 
jetty on the beach, and according to many lines of reasoning 
this is where the monument was set up. Le Moyne’s drawing 
indicates a sand dune location. 


The monument was erected before any Indians appeared; 
but soon they came, viewed the stone for a time in silence, 
and then retired without touching it or speaking a word. 
Ribault named the river the Riviere de Mai, or River May, 
because his tour of exploration was made on the first day of 
May. This is the only name that he bestowed at the River 
May. 

The day passed very much as the preceding one, except 
that the Frenchmen became greatly excited when they 
noticed that some of the natives were wearing ornaments of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA T 


gold and silver. Ribault concluded from their signs that the 
country abounded in gold and that the rivers and harbors 
contained pearls of great magnitude. 


*It afterward developed that these ornaments came from 
the treasure ships of Spain that were wrecked on the lower 
Florida coast on their voyage home from Mexico. By trade 
and war the gold and other metals became scattered among 
the Indian tribes elsewhere, furnishing a lure that never failed 
to lead the white adventurer on. 


Ribault spent the day on the south side and returned to 
the ships toward sundown. The next day (May 3d) he pro- 
ceeded northward and after investigating the rivers and 
harbors along the way, finally reached the coast of what is 
now South Carolina, where it was decided to leave a post 
called Charlesfort, composed of 26 men. Ribault and Lau- 
donniere then set sail for France. 


*It is almost unbelievable that Ribault could have sup- 
posed this handful of men left in the wilderness at the mercy 
of the Indians had a chance to survive. 


Ribault arrived at Dieppe late in July and found civil war 
raging in France. The anti-Huguenot party was in control 
of the government and amidst the distraction that over- 
whelmed the nation a delay of nearly two years was experi- 
enced in getting another expedition together. 

Meantime the garrison at Charlesfort abandoned the post 
and embarked in a frail craft for home. Fortunately they 
were picked up by an English vessel, but not before they 
had been reduced to the horrible extremity of human 
sacrifice for subsistence. 


Laudonniere’s Expedition 


The Elizabeth of Honfleur, 120 tons; the Petit Breton, 100 
tons, and the Falcon, 60 tons, with officers, soldiers, mariners, 
artisans, and titled gentlemen adventurers aboard, under the 
command of Rene Goulaine de Laudonniere, left France in 
April, 1564, on a voyage across the Atlantic to Florida. These 
vessels came upon the coast in the vicinity of the present St. 
Augustine June 22d and entered the River May three days 
later. Laudonniere was entertained by the same chief that 
he met on the former voyage with Ribault. The stone column 
was still standing and appeared to be an object of great rev- 


8 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


erence to the Indians. Seeing the French approaching, as a 
token of friendship, they wrapped flowering vines (appar- 
ently the sea morning-glory) and wreaths of bay leaves 
around the pillar, while at its base were placed baskets of 
fruit and grain, together with a bow and quiver of arrows, 
symbolizing welcome and peace. When the greetings were 
over, Laudonniere made a short excursion up the river at 
least as far as St. Johns Bluff in order to observe the coun- 
try. Then he returned to the ships waiting outside and 
coasted as far north as Amelia Island. He was in that vi- 
cinity two or three days and held a consultation with his 
officers as to the best place to make a settlement. They de- 
cided to return to the River May and plant the settlement in 
a “pleasant vale’’ on the south side of the river at the base 
of the “mountain” (St. Johns Bluff) that they had already 
examined, situated 214 French leagues (approximately six 
miles) above the mouth. 
* Laudonniere does not mention the men left at Charles- 
fort two years before, and his seeming neglect of them is not 
accounted for in history. 


Fort Caroline 


At the break of day on June 30, 1564, Laudonniere com- 
manded the trumpet to be sounded. When all were assembled, 
he says, “We sang a psalm of Thanksgiving unto God, be- 
seeching Him that it would please Him of His Grace to con- 
tinue His accustomed Goodness towards us. The prayer 
ended, every man began to take courage.” After measuring 
off a piece of ground in the form of a triangle, all became 
engaged in some duty—some cleared land, some cut fagots, 
others brought earth, “for there was not a man that had not 
either a shovel, or cutting hook, or hatchet, as for the build- 
ing of the fort, which we did hasten with such cheerfulness 
that within a few days the effect of our diligence was ap- 
parent.” Paracoussy (chief) Saturioua, on whose land the 
fort was built, came with his two sons and a great number 
of men to help. 

Fort Caroline was built in the form of a triangle, its base 
along the river front and its apex drawing toward the south. 
The westerly side was enclosed by a trench and raised by 
trusses made in the form of a battlement nine feet high. The 
portcullis was on this side. The southeastern side was a kind 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 9 


of bastion; while the northern, or river side, was enclosed 
with a palisado of planks of timber. The houses were built 
inside the fort. The oven was placed outside some distance 
away “because the houses be of palm leaves, which will soon 
be burnt after the fire catches hold of them.” Laudonniere 
named the fort “Caroline, in honor of our prince, King 
Charles,” who at that time was only a boy. At this crude 
work took place some of the most tragic incidents of Amer- 
ican history. 


* When first known to the white man St. Johns Bluff 
sloped down westerly into a little plain that occupied the 
cove between the present point of the bluff and Fulton. This 
plain was called by the French the “Vale of Laudonniere,” and 
there, at the water’s edge, Fort Caroline was built in order to 
get water for the moat. The plain has been washed away by 
the river, mainly since the jetties were built, and ships now 
pass over the precise site of Fort Caroline. 


In about a month Laudonniere sent the Elizabeth of 
Honfleur back to France with despatches for Coligny, retain- 
ing the smaller barks for use on the river. 

The story of the French at Fort Caroline is one filled with 
pathos and tragedy. In the beginning all went well; they 
enjoyed amicable relations with the Indians and from them 
drew largely for their subsistence, themselves neglecting to 
make provision for the emergencies that were bound to come 
to those in such a situation. As time went on misfortunes 
began to multiply as a result of this inactivity, and, nat- 
urally, discontent then entered the ranks of the little band. 
Serious mutinies followed. On one occasion the conspirators 
seized a vessel belonging to the port and set out upon a free- 
booting expedition against the Spaniards in the West Indies. 
Some of the mutineers finally found their way back to the 
River May, where Laudonniere had four of the ringleaders 
executed. The others were captured by the Spaniards and 
taken to Havana. 

After awhile the Indians refused to share further of 
their stores, partly because their own stock was low and 
partly from the fact that nothing was given in exchange, the 
French by this time having exhausted the supply of ex- 
changeable articles. Being reduced to the verge of famine, 
Laudonniere was induced, let it be said against his will, to 
seize the great Indian Olata Utina (head chief) and hold him 


10 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


as ransom for supplies. This scheme resulted disastrously 
for the French, since a number of them were killed in cap- 
turing the chief, while the enmity of the natives was raised 
to the highest pitch. Thoroughly disheartened, they at last 
decided to build a suitable vessel and return to France. 


English Sea-Rover Visits Fort Caroline 


Demolishing several houses and tearing away a part of 
the fort for timber, work was started on the vessel designed 
to take the colonists home. The construction progressed 
under many difficulties, as several of the most experienced 
carpenters had been killed by the Indians. Amidst these 
preparations, Sir John Hawkins, returning from a slave-sell- 
ing expedition along the Spanish Main, unexpectedly ap- 
peared at the mouth of the River May, August 4, 1565, hav- 
ing been guided along the coast by a Frenchman, who was 
with Ribault on the first voyage to Florida. They were 
seeking the colony at Charlesfort, but when they reached 
the River May they saw two pinnaces and learned of the 
circumstances and condition of Fort Caroline two English 
leagues up the river. Hawkins paid a visit to the fort and 
supplied the French with meat and other provisions. He sold 
Laudonniere one of his vessels, taking some of the ordnance 
of Fort Caroline in payment therefor. Laudonniere says, 
“Moreover, for as much as he saw my soldiers go barefoot, 
he offered me fifty pairs of shoes, which I accepted and 
agreed of a price with him, for which until this present I am 
indebted to him; for particularly he bestowed upon myself 
a great jar of oil, a jar of vinegar, a barrel of olives, a great 
quantity of rice and a barrel of white biscuit. Besides he 
gave divers presents to the principal officers of my company, 
according to their qualities; so that I may say, that we 
received as many courtesies of the General as it was possible 
to receive of any man.” 

After the departure of Hawkins, the French hurried 
their preparations for leaving Florida. By the 15th of 
August (1565) everything was in readiness, and they waited 
only a fair wind to hoist the sails. In this state of anxious 
suspense they were detained till the 28th, when the wind 
and tide became favorable and they were on the point of de- 
parting; but just at that moment the sails of several vessels 
were discovered at sea approaching the coast. Ribault had 
arrived! 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 11 


Ribault’s Second Voyage 


The settlement on the River May had not been forgotten 
by Coligny. At the first opportunity, during a lull in the 
civil war in France, he secured a royal commission for Cap- 
tain Ribault to command an expedition to America. The full 
quota of soldiers and volunteers was quickly brought to- 
gether. Some of the men embarked with their wives and 
children. The total number of emigrants was about six 
hundred. 

The fleet of seven vessels sailed from Dieppe in May, 
1565. Experiencing adverse weather it put into several ports 
and was delayed in reaching the River May until August 
28th, the day that Laudonniere was preparing to leave. 
Three of the vessels entered the river and proceeded to the 
fort, but the four largest could not cross the bar and re- 
mained at anchor outside. All of the colonists had landed and 
the disembarking of supplies had been in progress several 
days, when at night five Spanish ships came up from the 
south and anchored near the four French ships at the mouth 
of the river. The Spaniards claimed to be friendly, but the 
French trusting nothing, made ready for sailing. Their 
suspicions were soon verified and they cut their cables and 
sailed for the open sea, with the Spanish ships in pursuit. 
The chase continued until after sunrise, but the French out- 
sailed their pursuers, who turned back and were in turn fol- 
lowed by a French ship. Observing that the Spaniards were 
landing soldiers and provisions (at St. Augustine), the 
French vessel hastened to the River May to notify Ribault, 
who was at Fort Caroline while all of this was going on. 

When the facts were related, Ribault immediately held a 
council of war. He favored attacking the Spaniards by sea 
immediately, but Laudonniere opposed the plan on the 
ground that it was the season of sudden storms and he 
thought it would be wiser to repair the fort and await an 
attack by the Spaniards. Most of the officers agreed with 
Laudonniere. Ribault, however, held to his decision and 
ordered the ships prepared for battle. The largest ship, the 
Trinity, flagship of the fieet, having outsailed the rest had 
not yet returned to the river and the attack was to be made 
without her. All of the fighting men that had just arrived 
together with the able-bodied of Laudonniere’s force were 
ordered aboard. On September 10th, the fleet sailed from the 


12 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


River May on the mission of a sudden attack upon the 
Spaniards. Laudonniere remained at Fort Caroline. 

Ribault’s fleet soon arrived off St. Augustine, having been 
joined by the Trinity in the meantime. While the decks were 
being cleared for action the wind died down into a complete 
calm—it was the calm before a hurricane. When the wind 
came again it grew rapidly into a gale from the northeast 
and Ribault’s ships were driven southward and scattered 
down the coast. 


Spaniards Plan Attack 


Rumors of a French settlement in Florida reached Spain 
through the court of France. These rumors were verified by 
a report from Havana in an account of the mutineers from 
Fort Caroline that were captured, who in order to save them- 
selves divulged the secrets of the French fort on the River 
May. 

* Spain claimed Florida by right of discovery and ex- 

' ploration and she seems to have had a good title to it through 
Ponce de Leon, Narvaez, De Soto and other voyagers. This 
settlement on the River May incensed the Spanish king as a 
foreign settlement within his dominions and he determined to 
get rid of it. France and Spain at that time were not at war. 
Religion furnished a good pretext and a safety-valve for the 
Spanish king to act and still keep official peace with France. 


A royal decree was granted Pedro Menendez to fit out, 
mostly at his own initial expense, an expedition designed to 
destroy the French colony or drive the Frenchmen from the 
shores of Florida. Such an expedition could not have been 
placed in better hands for its success, as Menendez had 
shown before that he was fully capable of performing the 
acts with which he was charged — the brutality that the 
spirit of the age in which he lived characterized as the high- 
est order of heroism and religious duty. 

It was a peculiar coincidence that Menendez arrived in 
sight of the Florida coast on the same day that Ribault’s 
fleet dropped anchor at the mouth of the River May, and 
the same day, too, that Laudonniere was hoisting sail to 
leave the shores of Florida. Menendez sailed along the coast 
and anchored off what is now St. Augustine. Here he learned 
from the Indians of the situation of the French; but to 
satisfy himself he went with five of his ships up the coast 





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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 13 


to reconnoiter. These were the ships that chased the French 
out to sea. He had set about fortifying the place, which he 
called St. Augustine, and was so engaged when Ribault’s 
fleet appeared off the harbor. He saw the French ships 
driven southward and speculated as to their return. He 
called his officers in council and laid before them a plan to 
attack the French fort by land before the French vessels 
should return. His officers, as in the case of Ribault, opposed 
the plan; but Menendez was determined, and on the 16th of 
September he marched with a force of 500 men to attack 
Fort Caroline. Indians did not take part in this further than 
acting as guides. The tempest had not ceased; rain fell in 
torrents, and it was only after the severest hardships that 
the Spaniards reached the vicinity of Fort Caroline after 
sunset of the 19th. Coming to a pine grove, they camped at 
a low, wet place one-quarter of a league from the fort; here 
Menendez assembled his captains in council. Drenched and 
hungry with their powder wet and useless the Spaniards 
debated the advisability of making an attack on the French 
fort. Menendez was practically alone in an unswerving 
desire to attack the fort, his captains opposing it and sug- 
gesting the return to St. Augustine and the abandonment of 
the expedition. The council lasted until the early morning 
hours, and the will of Menendez prevailed. 


*'The place where the Spaniards camped that night and 
the fate of Florida was sealed is easily recognized today. The 
road skirts it just before the climb to St. Johns Bluff com- 
mences. It is a natural depression surrounded by hills, about 
three-fourths of a mile (approximately one-fourth of a league) 
southeast of the site of Fort Caroline—the only situation of 
that kind anywhere in the locality. 


Before dawn, September 20th, the Spaniards began to 
move closer to the fort. They had marched only a few hun- 
dred yards when amidst the rain and tempest, and the tangled 
underbrush, the columns became separated and Menendez 
called a halt. He interrogated a Frenchman (one of Laudon- 
niere’s mutineers) whom he had brought with him. The 
Frenchman told him that “right over there, down below, 
three arquebus shots away, was the fort, one side of which 
was washed by the waters of the river.” Nothing could be 
clearer than this description recorded by Meras, which con- 


14 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


firms all of the other eye-witness descriptions that the fort 
was at the water’s edge. 


Fort Caroline Captured 


At dawn the Spaniards were on the high ground over- 
looking Fort Caroline. The break of day revealed no activity 
of any sort; Fort Caroline was sleeping, 240 people, less than 
thirty of whom knew the use of arms. Women and children, 
the sick and the weak, artisans and servants — these were 
the people that remained with Laudonniere when Ribault’s 
fleet departed. 

The damage done the fort in anticipation of its abandon- 
ment had not been fully repaired. The Spaniards rushed 
down the slope into the fort and committed an indiscrim- 
inate slaughter. Some of the French were slain in their beds; 
others half awake and bewildered met the same fate upon 
reaching the courtyard. Women as they knelt in supplica- 
tion and prayer, and little children were put to death. In the 
confusion a few Frenchmen escaped and among these was 
Laudonniere. 

The deed was finished in less than an hour and not a 
Spaniard had been killed and only one slightly wounded. 
Menendez, it seems, was not at the fort when the carnage 
commenced, having remained on top of the hill; but hearing 
the commotion at the fort he ran down to it and observing 
that his soldiers gave no quarter he ordered them in a loud 
voice to kill or wound no woman, or boy under 15 years of 
age, by which order 70 persons were saved. 

* About a month after the capture of Fort Caroline, Menen- 

dez reported to the King that he still held these captives and 

that it caused him deep sorrow to see them among his people. 

Their ultimate fate is unknown. 


Laudonniere, Le Moyne (an artist), and Challeaux, with 
23 others, after suffering untold hardships in the marshes 
as they tried to reach the mouth of the river, were finally 
rescued by two small vessels belonging to the French, the 
Pearl and the Grayhound. In these they hastily set sail for 
France. The Pearl arrived in France, but the Grayhound 
with Laudonniere aboard reached port at a place in Wales. 
Thence Laudonniere went to France and reported fully re- 
garding the destruction of Fort Caroline, but the news was 
received with indifference at the French court. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 15 


“Not as Frenchmen, But as Lutherans.” 

* The familiar statement that Menendez hanged a num- 
ber of Frenchmen and placarded them with a sign signifying 
that he hanged them not as Frenchmen, but as Lutherans, is 
omitted here as history. So far as known no eye-witness re- 
corded the incident of the placard. The account first appeared 
in print in 1566 and apparently originated in France as prop- 
aganda to arouse the feelings of Protestants in connection 
with an effort to raise funds for the support of the widows and 
orphans of Huguenots murdered by Menendez in Florida. 
That some of the Huguenots were hanged is true, for Menen- 
dez mentions the fact in his report to the king,f and along 
with them two Englishmen that Hawkins had left at Fort 
Caroline to assist Laudonniere; but he does not mention the 
placard nor does Meras who recorded the details of the affair 
with a candor that would certainly have included this incident 
had it occurred. 


Fate of Ribault 


Ribault’s fleet was buffeted by the tempest and then 
wrecked along the coast above Canaveral. Practically all of 
the Frenchmen reached the shore in safety, where they seem 
to have gotten together in three separate parties. The two 
farthest north attempted to reach Fort Caroline by march- 
ing overland; but that farthest down the coast decided to 
fortify and await developments. 

Three days after the capture of Fort Caroline, Menendez, 
leaving a garrison of 300 men there, returned to St. Augus- 
tine with the balance of his force. Soon after his arrival the 
Indians came in with reports of the wrecks below. He knew 
that they were the French and he set out to finish the job 
begun at Fort Caroline. A party of the French had marched 
to Matanzas Inlet, where their progress was stopped. Me- 
nendez appeared on the opposite side. A parley ensued and 
the French surrendered, understanding that their lives 
would be spared. 

On the pretext that he had but few soldiers with him and 
these might easily be overpowered, Menendez required the 
French to cross the shallow body of water in a small boat in 
parties of ten. As each came over it was marched back into 
the palmetto scrub out of sight. There, September 29, 1565, 
the shipwrecked and defenseless Frenchmen were tied to- 





+Menendez to the King: “Unwritten History of Old St. Augustine,” Brooks and 
Averette. 


16 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


gether in pairs with their hands behind their backs and 
fiendishly put to death with axe, halberd or sword. After it 
was over Menendez returned to St. Augustine. 


On October 12th, Menendez was at the same spot on the 
same mission, as reports had reached him through the 
Indians that another party of Frenchmen was there. Ribault 
was with this party. Precisely the same procedure as in the 
former instance was carried out. Ribault was among the last 
to come over; he was struck in the back with a dagger and 
fell to the ground, where two or three blows ended his life. 
Meras, brother-in-law of Menendez, was an eye-witness and 
he recorded the details of this horrible butchery; there is 
evidence that he, personally, delivered the dagger thrust in- 
to the back of Ribault. 


Menendez in time reached the last party down the coast. 
Upon his approach some of these Frenchmen fled to the 
Indians and their ultimate fate is not clear. Of those that 
surrendered, a few were taken to St. Augustine as slaves. 


Huguenot Ring 


The following letter from Mrs. W. H. Adams, of Atlantic 
Beach, Fla., gives the circumstances of the recovery of an 
extremely valuable relic connected with Fort Caroline, found 


in an Indian mound near Pablo Beach a few years ago by 
Elbridge Gerry Adams: 


Atlantic Beach, Fla., December 12, 1924. 
Mr. T. Frederick Davis, 
Jacksonville, Fla. 
My dear Mr. Davis: 

In reply to your note regarding the old ring in my possession, the 
circumstances connected with finding the ring were these: 

My son, Gerry, found the ring while digging in an Indian mound 
near Pablo Beach about 1911. He, in company with several other boys, 
was digging for pottery and such things. They had been digging in a 
large mound, when Gerry found a small mound nearby and began 
digging into one side of it. It was here that he found the old gold ring. 
I kept the ring, but did not pay much attention to it until the Ribault 
monument was unveiled by the D. A. R. near Mayport last spring, 
when I recognized the similarity of the markings on the monument 
shield to those on the ring. I would be glad to show you the ring 
should you care to see it. Very sincerely, 


Juliette Holt Adams. 
























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History of Jacksonville, 
By T. Frederick Davis. 


HUGUENOT RING 





Greatly enlarged from an original negative. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 17 


The ring is a band of about 10-kt. gold of uniform thick- 
ness throughout. Measured by the modern jewelers’ scale 
the size is 614, which is the size for a medium finger; the 
weight is 1 dwt. The emblems are apparently hand-carved. 
The single fleurs-de-lis are simply cut into the band, while 
the figures in the medallions stand out upon a battered 
sunken field within the oval. The accompanying illustration 
shows the emblems on the ring, which appear uniformly all 
the way around the band. There is no inscription inside the 
band. 


* The certain authenticity of this find makes it at once a 
most interesting subject, and being a ring the imagination nat- 
urally drifts into all kinds of romance about it. There is of 
course no record of how the Indian gained possession of the 
ring. It may have been given to him as a present. Maybe it 
was taken from the finger of a Frenchman slain at Fort Caro- 
line, or from that of one of Ribault’s men as he lay upon the 
blood-soaked sands of Matanzas. But that it originally be- 
longed to a Huguenot of Fort Caroline there is scarcely a 
doubt, for the fleur-de-lis, emblem of France when the Hu- 
guenots came to Florida indelibly connects it with the time 
when the Lily of France was banished from Florida by the 
Lion of Spain in their struggle for supremacy.t 


San Mateo Fort and River 


The capture of Fort Caroline having been achieved at the 
time of the festival of Saint Matthew, Menendez renamed 
the fort San Mateo and the river Rio de San Mateo. The 
contingency, fire, that Laudonniere had so carefully guarded 
against happened to the Spaniards eight days after they had 
captured the fort. Through the carelessness of a soldier all 
of the houses and the wooden part of the fort were burned. 
The fort was rebuilt on the same site. Menendez afterward 
built two small forts or observation posts on opposite sides 
of the river below the great fort, as San Mateo was called. 

There is evidence that Menendez soon attempted to force 
the removal of Chief Saturioua to the north side of the river 
on account of which it is not surprising that he incurred the 
enmity of the neighboring Indian tribes. About this time a 
missionary, Don Martinez, and three attendants were mur- 
dered by the Indians when they landed on Fort George Island. 
~~ $The Huguenot flag bore three golden fleurs-de-lis, frequently referred to as the Lilies 


of France. ‘the Spanish flag of the period was quartered, showing in gold the Castle 
of Castile and in red the Lion of Leon. 


18 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Menendez led a detachment of 70 men against this chief, but 
without success. The soldiers could not now venture far 
beyond the protection of the forts without being harassed 
by the Indians and within a year fifty or more, including a 
number of officers, were killed. 

The same spirit of mutiny that took hold of the French 
arose among the Spanish garrisons. On one occasion all but 
twenty of those in the forts on the San Mateo determined to 
leave and were aboard a vessel ready to sail when Menendez 
arrived from St. Augustine. He induced thirty of them to 
remain, put them on a boat and ordered them to St. Augus- 
tine; but on the way they were attacked by the Indians and 
most of them killed. The mutineers sailed and were wrecked 
on the lower Florida coast where they fell into the hands of 
the Indians of that section. 

At the end of 18 months conditions in Florida were grow- 
ing from bad to worse; supplies and recruits were slow in 
coming from the West Indies and the dissension of the 
colonists was growing. Menendez therefore decided to go to 
Spain and make a personal report in the interest of the 
Florida colony. He sailed in the spring of 1567, and remained 
in Spain a year. During his absence there occurred at the 
mouth of the River San Mateo (St. Johns) the most spec- 
tacular incident of them all. 


Retribution of Dominic de Gourgues 


The court of France, anti-Huguenot in sentiment, ignored 
the popular clamor for retribution for the outrages perpe- 
trated against Frenchmen in Florida. Observing that the 
slaughter of his countrymen would likely go unavenged and 
believing that the honor of France demanded a retributive 
measure, Dominic de Gourgues, a soldier of fortune, took up- 
on himself the responsibility of a private enterprise against 
the Spaniards in Florida. 

Selling his own estate and borrowing from his friends, 
De Gourgues managed to finance the building of three 
vessels especially equipped for the enterprise. His fighting 
force comprised about 100 soldiers armed with arquebusses 
and 80 mariners with cross-bows and pikes; there were also 
a number of persons unskilled in arms, but seeking adven- 
ture. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 19 


De Gourgues left France August 22, 1567, sailed to 
Africa, thence to the West Indies, and reached the River 
May (St. Johns) at Eastertide, 1568. In passing by the 
mouth of the river he received the salute of the Spanish 
posts and returned it to keep his identity secret. He came to 
anchor in the St. Marys River, called the Somme by the 
French. The Indians soon gathered and an alliance was 
quickly made with them for an attack upon the Spanish 
forts. Several days were required to perfect the plans. A 
youth, Pierre Debre, who had escaped from Fort Caroline 
and was afterward found and kindly treated by the Indians, 
was brought in and his services as interpreter were invalu- 
able. On the Saturday morning following Easter, De 
Gourgues with his whole force, except 20 left to guard the 
vessels in the St. Marys River, and a great number of Indians 
were concentrated in the woods behind the fort on the north 
side of the river. 

* Circumstances point almost without the slightest doubt 
to Pilot Town as the location of this fort. 


The attack was made in the forenoon. Captain Cazenove 
with a company was ordered to set fire to the gate, while the 
main forces attacked from the rear. A guard happened to 
mount a platform just at this moment, noticed the French 
and sounded the alarm. He fired a culverin twice and was 
loading it for a third shot when he was killed by an Indian. 
By this time the French and the Indians were inside the 
fort. Not a Spaniard escaped; of the 60 in the fort, 45 were 
killed, and 15 captured and reserved for another fate. 

The garrison in the fort across the river, seeing the com- 
motion, opened a cannonade, which the French replied to by 
turning the guns of the captured fort to bear upon the other. 
Haste was necessary to intercept the garrison on the south 
side of the river before it should reach the great fort San 
Mateo (at St. Johns Bluff). Captain De Gourgues with 80 
soldiers entered a boat that had come around into the river 
by prearranged plan and crossed over to the south side below 
the second fort. The Indians swam across in great numbers, 
holding their bows and arrows above their heads with one 
hand and swimming with the other. The garrison fled, but 
not in time to escape, for when they got to the woods they 
found themselves cut off and partly surrounded. All were 
slain except 15 reserved as before. 


20 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


* The second fort was on the point where the river turns 
at Mayport. The Spaniards evidently held back for a time 
before leaving the fort, which gave De Gourgues time to cross 
the river and station himself in the woods around the property 
known as “Wonderwood.” 


The French removed the articles of value from this fort 
and sent them across the river. Then they crossed over 
themselves, with their captives and their Indian allies. De 
Gourgues wished to obtain more accurate information about 
the great fort before attacking it. He learned from one of 
the prisoners that it contained about 250 men, well armed 
and supplied, and this information was substantiated by a 
spy sent from the great fort, who had been captured by the 
Indians and brought in. De Gourgues decided to make the 
attack at once, although it could not be made as a surprise, 
for the Spaniards had already gotten wind of the attacks 
on the small forts. In the night he sent the Indians to con- 
ceal themselves in the woods behind the great fort and await 
the signal for attack. Early the next morning he crossed the 
river with all of his force, except a few left to guard the 
prisoners, and finally attained the eminence (St. Johns 
Bluff) overlooking the fort—the same position from which 
Menendez on that fatal morning two and a half years before 
observed Fort Caroline. | 

De Gourgues saw a reconnoitering party of 60 Spaniards 
leave the fort and march toward his position, whereupon he 
sent Captain Cazenove around to come up in their rear and 
cut off their retreat. This maneuver was carried out un- 
observed by the Spaniards, who continued toward De 
Gourgues’ position on the hill. When they were close, De 
Gourgues advanced with his whole force. The Spaniards 
broke and fled, but Cazenove had cut off their retreat and 
all were slain without quarter. 

The balance of the garrison in the fort got a glimpse of 
what was taking place in the woods on the slope of St. Johns 
Bluff and in their consternation the number of the French 
was greatly magnified. Becoming demoralized they sought 
escape through the woods behind the fort; here they ran in- 
to the Indians, who attacked them with the greatest fury. 
The French soon joined the Indians in the work of extermina- 
tion. Only a few Spaniards escaped; most of them were slain | 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 21 


on the spot, but some were captured and held for a specific 
purpose. 

De Gourgues marched his prisoners to a suitable spot, 
where he lectured them, reciting the details of the slaughter 
of his countrymen by Menendez. Then they were hanged 
from nearby trees. On a tablet of firwood he wrote with a 
searing iron, “I do not this as unto Spaniards nor Mariners, 
but as unto Thieves, Traitors, and Murderers,” and placed 
the placard beneath the victims as a message to the 
Spaniards that he knew would come from St. Augustine 
after his departure. 


* Menendez was in Spain at this time. Had he been in 
Florida it is possible that he might have been on a visit to 
San Mateo and fallen into the hands of the Frenchman, in 
which event the history of that Spaniard’s life without a doubt 
would have closed right there. The Indians would have found 
a great deal of pleasure in it too, for, as Bancroft says, they 
unquestionably enjoyed seeing their enemies butcher each 
other. 


The necessity of destroying the fort was now explained 
to the Indians and they set about the work with such zeal 
that San Mateo was razed in one day. The French removed 
the cannon and small arms to two boats that lay off the fort, 
but the ammunition was lost as the result of an accident. An 
Indian while boiling his fish set fire to a train of powder 
laid by the Spaniards, by which the ammunition house was 
blown up; from this other houses caught fire on their 
thatched roofs and were quickly destroyed. 

With the demolition of the other forts and the hanging 
of the prisoners held at the first fort, De Gourgues consid- 
ered his object accomplished. He sent the ordnance taken 
from the forts around by boat and set out with his diminu- 
tive army over the route by which he came. He found his 
vessels on the St. Marys in order and on May 3d hoisted sail 
and headed for home, where he arrived at Rochelle on the 
6th of June, 1568. 

News of the disaster in Florida reached Spain while De 
Gourgues was still at Rochelle receiving the congratulations 
of his admirers and friends. A Spanish squadron was sent 
to capture him there, but he moved to another port before 
its arrival. A price was put upon his head. The Spanish king 
made representations to the French court and De Gourgues 


22 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


was forced to seek safety in concealment; he remained in 
retirement ten or twelve years, idolized by a large portion of 
the French people. 


The account of this expedition to Florida given in Champ- 
lain’s ““Voyages” closes in these terms: 


A generous enterprise, undertaken by a gentleman, and executed at 
his own cost, for honor’s sake alone, without any other expectation; 
and one which resulted in obtaining for him a glory far more valuable 
than all the treasures of the world. 


Dominic de Gourgues was easily the most spectacular 
figure in Florida’s early history. 


*De Gourgues’ life was filled with wild adventure staged 
in the remote parts of the world as known in his time. He 
was in the armies of different princes for many years. He 
was in command of a company that was cut to pieces near 
Sienna and was there captured by the Spaniards. They put 
him in a galley as a galley slave, and while serving in this 
capacity he was captured by the Turks and so used by them 
on the Mediterranean. The galley in which he was serving 
was eventually restored to the French and De Gourgues re- 
turned to France. He then made a voyage to Africa, Brazil, 
and the South Seas, from which it is said he returned with 
considerable wealth. Upon his return from this voyage he 
learned of the massacre of the Huguenots in Florida. There 
had been published in France a tract entitled “Supplication of 
the Widows and Children of those Massacred in Florida”, cal- 
culated to rouse feeling to a high pitch. As a patriot De 
Gourgues felt the honor of his country was at stake, and as a 
man his fiery nature burned for an opportunity for revenge 
for the ignoble treatment of himself by the Spaniards. These 
united motives urged him to the chivalrous undertaking 
against the Spaniards in Florida—un-Christian it may have 
been, but intensely dramatic. Religion, however, played no 
part in it, for De Gourgues himself was a Catholic. He 
emerged from the retirement following the Florida enterprise 
to accept appointment as commander of the high seas fleet; on 
his way to assume command he contracted a sickness from 
which he never recovered. He died in 1582. 


The history of a city includes the record of the locality 
before the city was founded and these stirring scenes at the 
mouth of the St. Johns River therefore are properly in- 
cluded as the first chapter of Jacksonville’s history. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 23 


Why Are We Sleeping? 


*From Maine to California in the schools of every city 
and hamlet of the nation where American history is taught, 
children recite in a word or two the events that occurred in 
the vicinity of St. Johns Bluff recorded in this chapter. They 
know that perhaps the destiny of a continent was settled 
somewhere in Florida, but they do not know that it was any- 
where near Jacksonville, nor that here the first white women 
and children landed in the territory now the United States in 
the first really substantial attempt at permanent coloniza- 
tion, and that here according to a record inference the first 
white child was born—the first Protestant white child born 
in North America. They do not know that the first battle in- 
North America between white races was fought at Fort Caro- 
line. But they do know all about Jamestown and Plymouth 
rock and a good deal about the missions of California. Thou- 
sands of people visit those places every year for no other 
reason in the world than for their historic interest. 

The Daughters of the American Revolution, on May lI, 
1924, unveiled near Mayport an enlarged copy of the marker 
placed by Ribault at the mouth of the river in 1562, and which 
was undoubtedly destroyed by the Spaniards upon the capture 
of Fort Caroline in 1565. This is the only effort that has been 
made to commemorate any of the events of history along the 
St. Johns River between Jacksonville and the sea, 


Bibliography, Chapter I 

Ribault and Laudonniere both deseribed their first voyage to Florida. Their ac- 
counts have been preserved in English translations, the best of which perhaps is Jared 
Sparks’s “‘Life of Ribault’ (1848). 

Laudonniere, LeMoyne (an artist), and Challeaux, all of whom escaped from Fort 
Caroline when it was captured by the Spaniards, wrote of that affair. Meras, brother- 
in-law of Menendez, likewise an eve-witness, recorded the massacre of the Huguenots 
in minute detail; the full translation of his memorial will be found in Jeannette T. 
Connor’s work, ““Menendez de Aviles’ (1923). 

De Gourgues left a manuscript description of his voyage to Florida. The American 
historian Bancroft had an authentic copy of it. 

English translations from source material were made by Hakluyt and published 
during the closing years of the 16th century. Ternaux-Compans preserved them for 
the French in the same way, 1841. The Virginia Historical Society in its “Early 
Voyages to America” (1848) condenses much of this matter. 

Le Moyne’s forty-odd drawings visualize a great deal around Fort Caroline not 
gained from the written sources. 

Chapter I of this history is based on these sources, with observations by the 
author (indicated), who made a careful personal survey of the topographical features 
in relation to the record accounts. The illustrations of this chapter were prepared 
especially for this history. 


24 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER II 
THE COW FORD 


Menendez left Spain on his return voyage to Florida 
about the time De Gourgues sailed out of the St. Marys and 
headed for home; they passed somewhere on the broad At- 
lantic, one sailing westward and the other eastward. It is 
not difficult to imagine the fury that shook the frame of 
Menendez when he arrived at St. Augustine and learned 
what had taken place at the mouth of the San Mateo during 
his absence. Nevertheless, he set to work rebuilding the 
large fort and again garrisoned it, but never afterward with 
as many men as were there at the time of the Frenchman’s 
attack. The small forts destroyed by De Gourgues do not 
seem to have been rebuilt, though maps of a later day show 
other posts along the river. 

Following the tragic scenes when French and Spanish 
fought for the possession of Florida, a long period elapsed 
before events having a direct bearing on this immediate 
vicinity again shaped themselves to become recorded his- 
tory. It was a sort of inactive interim in local history, be- 
tween the long ago and the beginning of development attend- 
ing the actual English occupation in 1764. However, during 
this period there were occasional forays between St. Augus- 
tine and the English settlements to the north in which 
English, Spanish and Indians took part. War parties now 
and then camped for awhile on the bluff that sloped down to 
the river at the foot of our present Liberty and Washington 
Streets. In Spanish times this bluff was described as impos- 
ing and timbered with live-oak, palm (palmetto), and wild 
orange. At the foot of Liberty Street there was a rather 
bold spring of clear, good water,* (an outcropping, perhaps, 
of the stream that is known at the present day to underlie 
the surface in that section of the city). Back from the river 
a short distance stood a small Indian village.¢ 


*QOne of the earliest Spanish maps shows an Indian 
village here called Ossachite. This liquid Indian name, Os-sa- 
chi-te is the earliest record of a name applying to the local- 
ity of Jacksonville. It was a Timuqua village of probably not 
more than half a dozen houses thatched in the Timuqua style, 
as shown by Le Moyne’s drawings. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 25 


Indian Fords and Trails 


The Indians had fording places at different points along 
the river. It is not known what they originally called these 
fords, but with the introduction of cattle into the country 
the name “Wacca Pilatka” was applied, signifying a ford 
or place where the cows crossed over. Thefirst English name 
for the vicinity of Jacksonville was ‘‘Cow Ford,” and it was 
often referred to by that name even long after Jacksonville 
was founded. 

One of the most popular fords along the St. Johns was 
at this point—from the foot of our present Liberty Street 
to a point on the south side of the river directly opposite. 
A Timuqua trail led up from the lower east coast through 
the New Smyrna district, on to St. Augustine and thence to 
the Cow Ford (South Jacksonville and Jacksonville). On this 
side of the river it took a northwesterly course through a 
black-jack ridge where Hemming Park is now and there 
branched, one trail leading northwesterly and the other on 
toward the west.” 

The westerly trail crossed the sand hills (for a long time 
called Trail Ridge) that divide the waters of Black Creek 
from those of the St. Marys River; leading around the head 
branches of the San-ta-fee; joined the old De Soto trail near 
where the railroad crosses the Olustee, which led to the 
Suwanee; near the upper mineral springs, and westward to 
Alapaha, Aucilla, Micasuki, and Tallahassee, towns of the 
Apalachees. The Jacksonville-Lake City highway follows 
closely the route of this trail.? 

The northwesterly branch led to the St. Marys River to 
a point opposite where Colerain, Ga., afterward stood.» 

In the course of time these Indian trails grew into a 
beaten track through the forest. The pack-ponies of the 
traders followed them; then came the ox-carts of a later day, 
following the course of least resistance. Thus a kind of high- 
way evolved as a natural consequence of the matchless judg- 
ment of the Indian in picking the easiest route. 


Great Britain Acquires Florida 


The English captured Havana from Spain in 1762. By 
the treaty in 1763 England acquired Florida in exchange for 
Havana. The English took actual possession in 1764, when 
practically the entire Spanish population departed. 


26 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


English Land Grants 


About 1765, the Marquis of Hastings secured a British 
grant on the north side of the St. Johns comprising 20,000 
acres along the river from Trout Creek to the mouth of 
Maxtons (McGirts) Creek, including the present site of Jack- 
sonville. There is no record of a settlement on this land dur- 
ing the English occupation. The Marquis of Waterford 
secured a grant, also of 20,000 acres, on the opposite side of 
the river between Pottsburg Creek and Julington Creek, in- 
cluding the site of South Jacksonville. This tract was de- 
veloped in the vicinity of the ford. Bartram visited the Cow 
Ford in 1774, and he noted in his book that a ferry for cross- 
ing the river was in operation (for travelers) and near it 
was an indigo plantation from which he procured a sailboat 
for a trip up the river. 

The St. Johns country was highly advertised in England 
for a time, stress being placed on the profitable cultivation 
of the indigo plant here. There were several English planta- 
tions along the river above the Cow Ford. What we now call 
Ortega was settled by Abraham Jones under an English 
patent of January 12, 1770, granting him 2,000 acres of land 
‘Gn our province of East Florida, situation the neck or point 
of land between St. Johns River and Maxtons Creek, known 
by the name of Maxtons Creek Island. Bounded South and 
Southeast by vacant lands; West and Northwest by Maxtons 
Creek, and Eastwardly by St. Johns River.” Jones built his 
house half a mile above where Maxtons Creek emptied into 
the river. About the year 1780, Colonel Daniel McGirts was 
living on this tract, which was then called McGirts Place and 
Maxtons Creek was called McGirts Creek.¢ 


Kings Road 


The English had not been long in Florida when they set 
to work making a highway out of the old trail leading to the 
St. Marys River. They started at New Smyrna; thence to St. 
Augustine; to the Cow Ford; to the St. Marys at Colerain, 
and on into Georgia. All land travel between the northern 
Colonies and East Florida came down over this route and 
consequently through the sites of Jacksonville and South 
Jacksonville. Kings Road today follows the original route. 


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28 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The Spaniards Return 


Interest in Florida by England waned when the tide 
turned against her in the war of the Colonies for independ- 
ence, in which Florida did not join. In 1783, England ceded 
Florida back to Spain, in a ridiculous exchange for several 
unimportant islands. The Spaniards returned to Florida in 
1784, and practically all of the English left. The British land 
grants reverted to the Spanish crown, but the agreement in- 
cluded a provision that the British settlers should be remu- 
nerated for their lands. The English estates on the St. Johns 
were abandoned and remained vacant for some years, falling 
into rapid decay.? 


Mcintosh and the Spaniards 


About the year 1790, John H. McIntosh, of Georgia, 
arrived in the vicinity of the Cow Ford. Here he was ap- 
pointed to some office by the Spanish governor, but he does 
not seem to have obtained an actual grant of land. McIntosh 
apparently was a turbulent man of restless and reckless dis- 
position and it is not surprising that he and the Spaniards 
eventually clashed. The result was that he was arrested for 
intrigue in 1794 and sent to Havana, where he was confined 
for a year in Morro Castle. After his release from prison, he 
returned to Georgia, gathered together a band of adventur- 
ers, and swept down upon the Spanish post (San Nicholas) 
at the Cow Ford. This he destroyed, together with the 
“Boats of the Royal Domain” on the river.e McIntosh and 
the Spaniards seem to have patched up their differences, 
however, for some years later he was again living in the 
vicinity of the Cow Ford engaged in the exportation of 
lumber on a large scale and incidentally living like a lord. 


Prior to 1800, there were bona-fide settlers in the vicinity 
of the Cow Ford, regardless of the fact that this locality had 
by that time become the stamping ground of many undesir- 
ables—criminals from the States, slave catchers, ruffians, 
and banditti of varied kind. This was a condition that gave 
the Spanish governors a world of trouble and there were fre- 
quent exchanges of charges and counter-charges by Span- 
iards and Georgians which resulted in a sentiment that 
awaited only a pretext for an armed invasion of Florida. It 
came in 1812. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 29 


Patriot Revolution 


Prior to the declaration of war between the United 
States and Great Britain in 1812, the United States Congress 
in secret sessions as early as January, 1811, considered seri- 
ously the question of seizing Florida although it was a pos- 
session of Spain, on the pretext that in the event of war the 
English might use it as a base of operations. There followed 
a chain of correspondence between the United States Secre- 
tary of State and the Governor of Georgia on the subject and 
instructions were finally issued by the government, with the 
consent of the President (Madison), for emissaries to proceed 
to Florida and try to procure its cession to the United States 
by peaceable means if possible, and failing in this they were 
to use their own judgment in the matter.‘ The outcome was 
an armed invasion of East Florida by Georgians ‘“un- 
Officially” supported by United States regulars, accompanied 
by an uprising of Americans living in northern Florida. This 
armed attack upon the Spaniards is usually referred to in 
history as the “Patriot Revolution” in Florida. 

General Matthews, of Georgia, to whom this delicate task 
of taking Florida over had been entrusted, found no difficulty 
in enlisting volunteers for an invasion of Florida. The first 
attack was upon Fernandina, which they captured without 
bloodshed. Eight armed United States sloops co-operated, 
and on the following day United States forces took posses- 
sion of Fernandina and raised the American flag over the 
fort. This was in March, 1812, and war with Great Britain 
was not declared until the following June. Without the pre- 
liminaries usual to the establishment of governments, the 
Patriots at once set to work organizing a government of 
their own for Northern Florida, elected John H. McIntosh 
(the same McIntosh of Cow Ford fame) director-general, ap- 
pointed judges and established a legislature./ It proved to 
be a paper government and never functioned. 

The next move of the Patriots was against St. Augus- 
tine, the Spanish capital of East Florida. They marched 300 
strong to a point near the town and encamped. Here they 
were joined by a detachment of United States regulars. The 
Spaniards mounted some cannon on a schooner and shelled 
the camp, forcing the Americans to retreat. The Patriots 
retreated to the Cow Ford and established their camp. The 
United States troops remained in the vicinity of St. Augus- 


30 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


tine until a detachment was attacked near twelve-mile 
swamp by a body of negroes sent out from St. Augustine 
and several killed, when they too retreated, first to a block- 
house near where Bayard is now and then to the St. Johns./ 

An outstanding feature of the Patriot invasion was a 
campaign against the Indians of central Florida by Colonel 
Daniel Newnan and a battalion of Georgia volunteers. The 
experience of this battalion was remarkably similar to that 
of Major Dade’s command 23 years later, except that Major 
Dade’s perished and Colonel Newnan’s escaped. Considerable 
history is given in Colonel Newnan’s official report of this 
expedition and for that reason is here published in full.f The 
report was addressed to the governor of Georgia. The parts 
in parentheses are explanatory insertions by the author: 


New-Hope, St. Johns, Oct. 19, 1812. 

Dear Sir: I have now the honor of transmitting to your excellency 
an account of the several engagements which have taken place between 
the Lotchaway and Alligator Indians, and the detachment of Georgia 
volunteers under my command. As the object of this expedition, and 
the views of the persons engaged in it, have been misconstrued, and 
misstatements, relative to its protraction circulated, I ask the indul- 
gence of your excellency to detail every transaction from its commence- 
ment to its termination. 

I arrived upon (the) St. Johns, in obedience to your orders, about 
the 15th of August (1812) with the whole of my detachment, consist- 
ing, including officers, of about 250 men, and with few on the sick 
report. [ immediately waited on Col. Smith (U. S. A.) before St. Au- 
gustine, and received orders dated the 21st of August, to proceed 
immediately against the hostile Indians within the province of East 
Florida, and destroy their towns, provisions and settlements. I then 
returned to the detachment upon the St. Johns, and made every prep- 
aration to comply with my orders, by dispatching parties to procure 
horses from the few inhabitants that had not fled from the province, 
in preparing packs and provisions, and taking every step which I 
deemed necessary to insure success to the enterprise. In consequence 
of the sickness of myself and nearly one-half of the detachment, the 
period of our marching was delayed until the 24th of September 
(1812); and when just upon the eve of departing, an express arrived 
from Col. Smith informing me that his provision wagons and the 
escort was attacked by a body of Negroes and Indians, and ordering 
me to join him immediately with 90 men, and bring all the horses and 
carriages (any wheeled vehicle) I could command, for the removal of 
his baggage, field-pieces, and sick, he having only 70 men fit for duty. 
I marched to the relief of the colonel with 1380 men and 25 horses, and 
assisted him in removing to the block-house upon Davis’s creek (near 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA al 


Bayard). This service delayed for a few days our expedition to the 
(Indian) nation; and when the detachment again assembled upon the 
St. Johns, and were about to commence to march, the men had but six 
or seven days to serve. About this time I received a letter from Col. 
Smith, advising me to propose to the detachment an extension of their 
service for 15 or 20 days longer, as the time for which they were 
engaged was deemed insufficient to accomplish any object of the ex- 
pedition. This measure I had contemplated, and its sanction by the 
colonel met with my most hearty approbation; for I was unwilling to 
proceed to the enemy’s country with a single man, who would declare 
that, in any event, he would not serve a day longer than the time for 
which he had originally volunteered. I accordingly assembled the 
detachment, and after stating the necessity of a tender of further 
service, proposed that the men should volunteer for three weeks longer; 
when 84 men, including ofiicers, stepped out and were enrolled, which, 
with the addition of 23 volunteer militia sent to my aid by Col. Smith, 
and 9 patriots under the command of Capt. Cone, made my whole force 
amount to 117. With this small body, provided with four days’ provi- 
sions and 12 horses, I was determined to proceed to the (Indian) nation 
and give those merciless savages at least one battle; and I was embold- 
ened in this determination by the strong expectation of being succored 
by a body of cavalry from St. Mary’s, and which it has since appeared 
did assemble at Colerain (Ga.), but proceeded no farther. 

On the evening of the 24th of September (1812) we left the St. 
Johns, marching in Indian file, Capt. Humphrey’s company of riflemen 
in front, Capt. l’ort’s company, under the command of Lieut. Fannin, 
in the center, and Capt. Coleman’s company, with Cone’s detachment, 
under the command of Lieut. Broadnax, in the rear. A small party 
marched in front of the main body, and another in the rear, the open- 
ness of the country, except in particular places, rendered it unnecessary 
to employ men upon the right and left. Our encampment at nights, 
there being three companies, was in the form of a triangle, with the 
baggage in the center, the men with their clothes on, lying with their 
icet pointing cutwards, and their firelocks in their arms. In case of 
attack, the officers were instructed to bring up their companies upon 
the right and left of the company fronting the enemy, and attend to 
the Indian mode of fighting until ordered to charge. In case of meeting 
the enemy upon our march, Humphrey’s company was instructed to 
file off to the right, Fort’s company to advance and form to the front 
in single rank, end Coleman’s company to file off to the left; the whole 
then to advance in the form of a crescent, and endeavor to encircle the 
enemy. 

On the morning of the fourth day of our march, when within six 
or seven miles of the Lotchaway towns (near Newnan’s Lake, Alachua 
County), our advance party discovered a party of Indians marching 
along the path meeting us, and at the same moment they appeared to 
have discovered us. As soon as I was informed of it, I lost no time in 


32 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


giving the necessary directions for the companies to advance, and obey 
the instructions which had been previously given to them, and which 
appeared exactly suited to the situation in which we found the enemy. 
As soon as Fort’s company, at the head of which I had placed myself, 
had advanced to the proper ground, I discovered the Indians falling 

back, and making every preparation for battle, by unslinging their 
' packs, trimming their rifles, and each man taking his place. We con- 
tinued to advance, taking advantage of the trees in our progress, until 
we were within 130 yards of the Indians, when many of them fired, and 
I immediately ordered the charge, which drove them from behind the 
trees, and caused them to retire with the greatest precipitation; our 
men all the while firing at them, slew several, and by repeated charges 
drove them half a mile, when they took shelter in the swamp. It unfor- 
tunately happened, I presume through inadvertence, that Humphrey’s 
company in filing to the right took too great a circuit, got a small 
swamp between them and the enemy, and thereby rendered the victory 
less decisive than it would have been had the whole charged together, 
and before the Indians had dispersed themselves and extended their 
force, which they soon did, nearly half a mile up and down the swamp. 
The company, however, was of service afterwards in preventing the 
enemy, after their dispersion, from entering our camp, retaking their © 
baggage and provisions, all of which fell into our hands, or falling 
upon the wounded, that had been sent to the rear. The action, including 
the skirmishing upon the flanks, lasted two hours and a half, the Indians 
frequently attempting to outflank us and get in our rear, but were 
repulsed by the companies extending to the right and left. We had 
one man killed and nine wounded, two of which have since died of their 
wounds. The loss of the enemy must have been considerable. I saw 
seven fall to the ground with my own eyes, among whom was their 
king, Payne; two of them fell near the swamp, the rest our men had 
the curiosity to scalp. The rifle company on the right and Broadnax’s 
on the left, speak of killing several near the swamp, who were borne 
off by their comrades, it being a principle among the savages to carry 
off their dead at the risk of their lives. 


We remained on the battle ground watching the movements of the 
Indians, who were near the swamp painting themselves, and appeared 
to be in consultation, all of which indicated an intention to renew the 
combat. Accordingly a half an hour before sunset, having obtained a 
considerable reinforcement of Negroes and Indians, from their towns, 
they commenced the most horrid yells imaginable, imitating the cries 
and noise of almost every animal of the forest, their chiefs advancing 
in front in a stooping serpentine manner, and making the most wild 
and frantic gestures, until they approached within two hundred yards 
of us, when they halted and commenced firing. Our men were not to 
be alarmed by their noise and yells, but as instructed, remained per- 
fectly still and steady behind logs and trees until the enemy by this 
forbearance had approached somewhat nearer, when a brisk and well- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 33 


directed fire from our line soon drove them back to their original ground. 
I would now have ordered the charge, but being under the necessity, 
from the extension of the enemy’s line, of detaching nearly one-half of 
my force to protect our camp and wounded, the assailing of which is 
a great object with Indians, I was left to contend with a force three 
times as numerous as my own. The action lasted until eight o’clock 
(in the evening), when the enemy was completely repulsed in every 
attempt whether made upon our centre or flanks. We had two men 
killed and one wounded; the enemy carried off several of their men 
before it was dark—after which all firing, of course random, was at 
the spot from whence the flash arose. 


After fighting and fasting the whole day, we had to work through- 
out the night, and at daylight had a tolerable breastwork of logs and 
earth, with port holes, on the ground on which the battle was fought. 
We were reduced to this necessity, for in dispatching Capt. Whitaker 
about dark to the St. Johns for a reinforcement, six more men took the 
liberty to accompany him, taking with them our best horses; our pilot 
and surgeon, who was sick, was among the number. 

The two days succeeding the battle, we neither saw nor heard 
anything of the enemy, but on the evening of the third day they com- 
menced firing at our work at a long distance, and renewed it every 
day for five or six days, but without killing or wounding any of our men. 
After killing two or three of them through our port holes they seldom 
came within gunshot. Seven or eight days had now elapsed since our 
express had left us, hunger was staring us in the face, and we were 
now reduced to the necessity of eating one of our horses; we had no 
surgeon to dress the wounded, and apprehensions were entertained that 
the enemy would receive reinforcements from Augustine or the Maka- 
sukie Indians. Expecting relief every hour, I was unwilling to leave 
our breastworks while we had a horse to eat, but I understood from 
some of my officers that a certain captain was determined to leave us 
with his company, and that many of the men, giving up all hopes of 
relief, talked of deserting in the night rather than perish, or fall a 
sacrifice to the merciless Negroes and Indians, whom they were taught 
to believe would surround us in great numbers in a few days. In this 
trying situation, when our few remaining horses were shot down by 
them (the Indians), and the number of our sick daily increasing, 1 
reluctantly assented to leave our works that night, and directed the 
litters to be prepared to carry the wounded. 

About 9 o’clock we commenced our distressing march, carrying 
five wounded men in litters and supporting two or three more. We 
had not proceeded more than eight miles, when the men became per- 
fectly exhausted from hunger and fatigue, and were unable to carry 
the wounded any farther. About two hours after we left our breast- 
works, 25 horsemen, with provisions, arrived to our relief, on a different 
road from the one we had taken, but, from motives best known to 
themselves, instead of following us,.returned to the St.. Johns, and we 


” 


34 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


were left to encounter new difficulties, two men that I had dispatched 
on the path the horsemen came, by some means or other missing them. 
We again constructed a place of defense, and I dispatched Sergeant- 
major Reese with one private to Picolata, to learn what had occasioned 
the delay of our expected supplies, and told him I should remain where 
I was until I could hear from him, and endeavored to procure cattle, 
as we discovered signs of their being near us. 

The evil genius of Captain again prevailed, and I have since 
learned from Captain Cone, that this person instigated not only him, 
but many of the privates to urge a departure from our works even in 
the day time, when I was convinced that the Indians knowing our weak 
situation would endeavor to ambuscade. This gentleman, if innocent, 
will have an opportunity of proving himself so before a court-martial. 
With a burning fever on me and scarcely able to walk, the march was 
ordered about three o’clock in the afternoon. I had directed the adjutant, 
Captain Hardin, to march in front, to avoid all places where there could 
be an ambuscade, and the litters should be distributed among the dif- 
terent companies. Being extremely weak, 1 marched in the rear with 
Captain , who carried my firelock, Lieut. }annin, and about fif- 
teen or twenty privates. We had scarcely marched five miles before 
the front of the detachment discovered the heads of several Indians on 
both sides of the path, from among several pine trees that were laid 
prostrate by the hurricane; the same instant, the enemy fired upon our 
advanced party, and shot down four of them, one, a Spaniard, died on 
the spot, and two survived a few days; my negro boy was one of them. 
‘Lhe moment I heard the firing I ordered the detachment to charge, and 
the Indians were completely defeated in fifteen minutes, many of them 
dropping their guns, and the whole running off without ever attempting 
to raily. lk our were left dead on the field, and I am convinced from the 
constant fire we kept up, that many more must have been slain, but 
were hid from our view by the thick and high palmetto bushes. 

We lay on the battle ground all night, and started next day at 
10 o’clock, marched five miles and again threw up breastworks between 
two ponds, living upon gophers, alligators and palmetto stocks, untii 
Sergeant-major Reese arrived with provisions and 14 horses, when we 
were enabled to proceed to the St. Johns with all our sick and wounded, 
where a gun-boat (schooner) by the direction of Colonel Smith was in 
waiting tor us, which conveyed us to his camp, where we met with 
every attention that humanity or benevolence could bestow. 

I cannot refrain from expressing the high sense I have of the 
care and anxiety which Colonel Smith has manifested for the detach- 
ment under my command, and his promptitude in affording every aid 
in his power, when apprised of our situation. My pen can scarcely do 
justice to the merits of the brave officers and men under my command, 
their fortitude under all their privations and distresses never forsak- 
ing them. Captain Hamilton, who volunteered as a private, his com- 
pany having left him at the expiration of their time; Lieutenant Fannin, 








HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 35 


Ensign Hamilton, and Adjutant Hardin distinguished themselves in 
a particular manner, being always among the first to charge, and first 
in pursuit; Sergeants Holt and Attaway likewise acted very bravely, 
and lI olk’s company in general, being always near me, and under my 
immediate view, advanced to the charge with the steadiness of veterans. 
Lieutenant Broadnax showed a great deal of courage and presence oi 
mind, and Ensign Mann who was wounded in the first action fought 
well. Captain Cone who was wounded in the head early in the action 
behaved well and Lieutenant Williams did himself great honor in every 
action, but particularly in the bold and manly stand he made in the 
night engagement. Sergeant Hawkins and Corporal Neil of Coleman’s 
company acted like soldiers, and Sergeant-major Reese’s activity was 
only surpassed by his courage; he was everywhere and always brave. 
Captain Humphrey’s company acted bravely, particularly Lieutenant 
heed, Sergeant bields, Sergeant Cowan, Sergeant Denmark and many 
of the privates. I can only speak of Captain Humphrey from the report 
of some of his men, who say he acted well; it so happening he never 
met my eye during either of the engagements, while the conduct of 
every other person that 1 have mentioned, except one or two, came 
under my personal observation. 

‘The number of Indians in the first engagement, from every cir- 
cumstance that appeared, must have been trom seventy-five to a hun- 
dred; in the second engagement, their number, including Negroes who 
were their best soldiers, was double ours, and in the third engagement 
there appeared to be fifty, which was nearly equal our force, after 
deducting the sick and wounded. From every circumstance, I am in- 
duced to believe that the number killed and wounded among the Indians 
must be at least fifty. 

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient 
servant, DANIEL NEWNAN. 


His excellency David B. Mitchell. 


The star of fortune shone over Colonel Newnan’s battal- 
ion, for its escape was miraculous. There are some interest- 
ing inferences in this report besides the fighting: What is 
meant by “scalping the Indians out of curiosity” is not clear; 
maybe it was a custom, for in a later private letter Colonel 
Newnan stated that Zephaniah Kingsley’s house on Fort 
George Island was “handsomely decorated with Indians’ 
scalps.’’f 

The flag of the United States flew by the side of the 
Patriot flag on Spanish soil for a year. When the U.S. troops 
were withdrawn in the Spring of 1813, the Patriot bands 
disintegrated rapidly, but not before they had pillaged and 
destroyed a great amount of property in this section. 


36 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The Patriot Bannert 


*The design of the Patriot flag was: Field, white; figure, 
a soldier in the act of charging bayonet; inscription, “Salus 
populi lex suprema” (Safety the supreme law of the people). 
Thus another banner was added to the array of flags signify- 
ing actual or attempted possession that have flown in Florida 
in times past. 


The country between the St. Johns and the St. Marys 
Rivers did not enjoy a lengthy peace after the departure of 
the “‘Patriots.”” A peculiar chapter in Florida’s varied his- 
tory was written here when an attempt was made to organize 
the “Republic of Florida” based on the American system, but 
under the jurisdiction of the Spaniards—a form of compro- 
mise between the Spaniards and the settlers in this section. 
The republic functioned under this system for a year or two 
and really bore the imprint of law and order. Trouble again 
arose, however, when M’Gregor and his so-called ‘‘Cartha- 
genians” or “Venezuelan Patriots” took possession of Fer- 
nandina and turmoil continued until the negotiations of the 
United States for the acquisition of Florida were begun. 


Fort San Nicholas 


An early Spanish map indicates a block-house or a Span- 
ish post on the south side of the river in the vicinity of the 
present South Jacksonville. Thenceforth its history is lost, 
but it was probably the parent of the post that later became 
known as San Nicholas. 

There is no record to indicate that the English had a 
garrisoned post at this point. When the Spaniards returned 
in 1784, they reestablished the military post under the name 
San Nicholas. 

The history of Fort San Nicholas was an exciting one. 
McIntosh destroyed it in 1796, and the Patriots doubtless did 
likewise in 1812. The post was temporarily abandoned in 
1817 out of fear of an attack by the ‘‘Carthagenians”, who 
held Fernandina. During the last years of its existence it 
was maintained principally for the purpose of preventing 
smuggling, although the commanders seem not always wide- 
awake in this respect, according to an article written by Rev. 


+Described by G. I. F, Clarke in a letter written from Fernandina 19th March, 1812. 
—Fla. Hist. Society. ; 2 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 37 


J. N. Glenn (a Methodist missionary at St. Augustine in 
1823), as follows: 

“General (John H.) McIntosh told me once that he had 
two boatloads of cotton that he had raised up the St. Johns 
River (probably at Ortega) that he wished to pass the Span- 
ish post at Cow Ford without paying the Spanish duties. 
Accordingly he approached the officer in command on the 
subject. Just then the boats hove in sight coming down the 
river. The commander put up his spy-glass and remarked, 
‘There is too much cotton to let it pass’. The General gave 
him a doubloon. He put the coin to one eye and the spy-glass 
to the other and said, “Too much yet’. The General gave him 
another doubloon. He then put a doubloon to each eye and 
said, ‘I see no cotton now’.’’s 

(Francis 8.) Hudnall acquired the land on which the old 
fort stood, even while a part of it was still in existence. He 
leveled the timbers for use on his farm.+ The fort was en- 
closed by an excavation 100 feet square. Mr. Hudnall built 
his house directly on the east side of the moat, and while 
excavating found a number of Spanish coins.’ 


The St. Johns River 


The Indian name for the St. Johns River as interpreted 
by the early Spaniards was “Illaka’’, meaning unusual, dif- 
ferent from any other, moves along with the south wind.‘ 
The French interpretation was “Welaka’”’, a chain of lakes. 
The former seems more in unison with the characteristic 
reasoning of an Indian. 

Ribault first saw the river on the afternoon of April 30, 
1562, but he did not enter it until the following day, May Ist. 
From this fact he named it Riviere de Mai—the River May. 

The destruction of Fort Caroline by Menendez took place 
within a day of the festival of St. Matthew and in celebra- 
tion of the “victory” he named both the fort and the river 
San Mateo. The Spaniards later changed the name of the 
river to San Juan, and the English retained it as St. Johns. 





{The exact site of Fort San Nicholas was on the property used the Merrill-Stevens 
as a war-time shipbuilding plant, back from the river about 250 yards. 


38 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Bibliography, Chapter II. 


aHistorical sketch in Jacksonville City Directory 1870, J. M. Hawks. 
bHistorical sketch in Jacksonville City Directory 1871, D. G. Ambler. 
cFrom the records at Tallahassee. 

dFairbanks’ History of Florida. 

eMemoirs of Florida, Fleming 

{Niles’ Register, Baltimore, Vol. ITI, 1812-138. 

gJacksonville Sun and Press, Aug. 11, 1877. 

hkColumbus Drew in Fla. ‘Times-Union, January, 1890. 

Florida and the South, Brinton, 1869. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 39 


CHAPTER III 
SPANISH LAND GRANTS 


In the 198 years that Spain governed Florida prior to the 
English occupation she made no attempt whatever to induce 
settlement from the outside; but following its re-possession 
in 1783, the Spaniards inaugurated an entirely different 
policy in this particular. Under Royal Decree of 1790, it 
became only necessary for the applicant to set forth his de- 
sires in a memorial to the governor asking for lands to the 
amount permitted according to the number of his family and 
his slaves, the location desired being named in the memorial. 
The usual reply of the governor to these applications was: 
“Let the lands asked for be granted without injury to a third 
person.’ It was done in one of two ways: By Grant, which 
gave title of absolute property to the petitioner; or by Con- 
cession, the terms of which included a provision of some sort, 
such as requiring the land to be kept under cultivation 
usually for a period of time designated by Spanish law. 

The treaty for the transfer of Florida by Spain to the 
United States was ratified in February, 1819, and the actual 
change of flags took place in July, 1821; grants of land made 
during this interval under the Donation Acts of the U. S. 
Congress were designated Donations. 


*The acquisition of Florida by the United States was not 
through direct purchase from Spain. The treaty was drawn 
around a claim clause of the United States and its citizens 
against the Spanish government for alleged damages for vari- 
ous reasons. The United States agreed to cancel its claims 
and assume the payment of those of its citizens to not exceed- 
ing $5,000,000, in consideration of which Spain ceded Florida. 
The interest accumulating upon these claims eventually 
amounted to $1,489,768. Therefore Florida cost the United 
States $6,489,768, but Spain did not get a dollar of it. 


After the formal transfer of Florida in 1821, Congress 
passed what were known as the “Land-Grant Acts”, provid- 
ing for the appointment of commissioners to investigate and 
confirm legitimate claims for title under Spanish grants and 
concessions. These commissioners were usually called the 
land-grant commissioners and will be referred to by that 


40 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


name hereafter. Those for East Florida sat as a Board at 
St. Augustine, and the records indicate that their proceed- 
ings were painstaking and thorough; their awards are upheld 
by the courts of this State and are the base titles to property 
here. 


Robert Pritchard, 1791. 
(Jacksonville) 


Robert Pritchard on January 3, 1791, procured a conces- 
sion from Governor Queseda of 450 acres of land situated on 
the north side of the River San Juan opposite the post of San 
Nicholas. A regular survey was made and Pritchard took 
possession immediately, erected buildings and planted crops. 
He died a few years later, but his heirs, through authorized 
agents, continued the cultivation of the tract. One of these 
agents was John Joseph Lain, who cultivated and lived on 
the land afterward granted to Mrs. Purnal Taylor and which 
is now included in the plat of Jacksonville.« When the “Pa- 
triots” arrived in 1812, the Pritchard lands were permanently 
abandoned. 

Robert Pritchard was the first white settler on the site of Jack« 
sonville. 


John McQueen, 1792. 
(Ortega) , 


A survey was made of “San Juan Nepomuceno” by Pedro 
Marrot on January 14, 1792, for John McQueen, to whom it 
had been conceded by the Spanish governor. The survey 
comprised 3,274 acres lying along both sides of McGirts 
Creek (including all of Ortega and the west side of McGirts 
Creek nearly to Big Fishweir Creek). On February 27, 1804, 
John McQueen received title of absolute property to this 
tract and in March of the same year (1804) he made a sale 
to John H. McIntosh, which was duly authorized and re- 
corded. The land-grant commissioners confirmed the title 
to McIntosh.¢ 

In an agreement (May 26, 1836) among the heirs of John 
H. McIntosh, Sr., his daughter, Catherine A. Sadler, was 
awarded “McGirts Point’, which at that time was called 
“Ostego”. From Mrs. Sadler the title next appears in Austin 
D. Moore and Asa Moore. The executors of the estate of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA Al 


Austin D. Moore with Asa Moore transferred the tract (De- 
cember 9, 1857) to John P. Sanderson. The heirs of John P. 
Sanderson (February 26, 1902) through a New York trust 
company transferred it, excepting one or two small parcels, 
to the Jacksonville Ortega Town Company, a New Jersey 
corporation headed by Wilkinson Call, for $40,000. The Jack- 
sonville Ortega Town Company (February 20, 1906) trans- 
ferred these holdings to J. R. Dunn. J. R. Dunn (March 15, 
1906) to D. H. McMillan, Trustee; D. H. McMillan, Trustee, 
etc. (May 10, 1906) to Ortega Company, a Florida corpora- 
tion headed by J. N. C. Stockton,° by whom the tract was 
platted and put on the market as building lots. 


William Jones, 1793—William Hendricks, 1797. 
(South Jacksonville) 


One William Jones, February 14, 17938, obtained a Spanish 
grant comprising 216 acres situated on the south side of the 
River San Juan at the Cow Ford. South Jacksonville now 
occupies this tract. Jones’s land was confiscated for rebellion 
against His Spanish Majesty.¢ It is not known with cer- 
tainty what the trouble was, but we may make a pretty safe 
guess that when McIntosh made his raid on Fort San Nich- 
olas and the Boats of the Royal Domain about 1796, William 
Jones, living nearby, was involved in that affair, and if so, 
the Spaniards had a perfect right to confiscate his land. 

On May 18, 1797, this land was re-granted to William 
Hendrix (Hendricks) of North Carolina. Isaac Hendricks, 
son of William Hendricks, came down and occupied it, built 
houses and cultivated the tract for many years. It was con- 
firmed to Isaac Hendricks by the land-grant commissioners. 
On February 11, 1823, Isaac Hendricks conveyed the tract 
to his son, William I. Hendricks, as a “Gift of Love and 
Affection”. William I. Hendricks transferred it to his 
mother-in-law, Elizabeth (Hudnall) Hendricks, April 27, 
1852, except 10 acres that had been sold to Sadler and Halli- 
day and 714 acres sold to George Stone.¢ 

After the War Between the States Harrison Reed bought 
a considerable portion of the old Hendricks plantation and 
platted it as South Jacksonville. The remainder was platted 
in 1882 by Elizabeth Hendricks and named Oklahoma. 


42 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Philip Dell, 1801. 
(Brooklyn and Riverside) 


On February 11, 1801, Philip Dell secured a concession 
from Governor White of 800 acres, extending along the river- 
front from the mouth of McCoys Creek to a point about half 
way between Barrs and King Streets—the bend in Riverside 
Avenue between these streets is where the line cuts through. 
It embraced the present Brooklyn and Riverside sections. 
For many years the tract was known as “Dell’s Bluff” and 
was often referred to in the records by that name.” 

The Dell Bluff tract was acquired by John H. McIntosh 
January 11, 1805. Title was confirmed to him by the land- 
grant commissioners. John H. McIntosh on October 4, 1823, 
deeded it to Francis J. Ross. Ross gave Joseph B. Lancaster 
a quitclaim deed to these 800 acres, December 6, 1833, the 
consideration mentioned being $2,000. Lancaster held it a 
little more than ten years, selling only six acres in the mean- 
time, three of which were sold to Blanchard & Rider for a mill 
site at the mouth of McCoys Creek; on May 1, 1844, he deeded 
the remainder back to Francis I. (J.) Ross, the consideration 
being $2,500. Francis J. Ross conveyed it to William B. Ross 
March 24, 1845, and William B. Ross sold it to James Winter 
February 6, 1847. Winter died in possession of the property 
and his estate descended to his heirs. On April 23, 1866, 
Uriah Bowden bought a portion of these lands from the com- 
missioners of the Winter estate. Miles Price finally acquired 
the bulk of the Winter estate, and on June 8, 1868, he con- 
veyed 500 acres to E. M. Cheney¢ in trust to be conveyed to 
John M. Forbes (a Boston millionaire) for $10,000 in gold.’ 
The property was platted for Forbes into lots February 1, 
1869, and named “Riverside”, provision being made for a 
park of 14 acres, now Riverside Park.¢ 


John Jones, 1801—Isaac Hendricks, 1804. 
(LaVilla) 


Under date of February 11, 1801, John Jones obtained a 
concession of 350 acres in a triangular tract on the north 
side of the River San Juan beginning at the mouth of McCoys 
Creek and lying north of it. Jones seems to have forfeited 
his title to this tract, for it was re-ceded to Isaac Hendricks 
by the Spanish governor in February, 1804, and on Septem- 


ie 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 43 


ber 28, 1816, Isaac Hendricks received title of absolute prop- 
erty to the same from Governor Coppinger. In presenting 
his claim to the land-grant commissioners Isaac Hendricks 
exhibited the original patent to Jones and also produced a 
deed from Jones’s heirs to himself. The commissioners con- 
firmed the title to Hendricks. Isaac Hendricks had in the 
meantime given the property to his wife, Catherine Hen- 
dricks, by a Deed of Gift. The confirmation was for 500 acres, 
bounded south by McCoys Creek, East by the Taylor Grant, 
Northwest by public lands.¢ 

After Mrs. Hendricks, the title appears in Rebecca Jones 
(who later married Calvin Reed). Rebecca Jones on October 
21, 1831, sold the east half of the tract, 250 acres, afterward 
known as East LaVilla, to John W. Richard. Richard on July 
26, 1836, deeded an undivided one-half interest in 249 acres of 
this tract to Adin Waterman, Trustee for Lydia V. Pinkston, 


wife of Milo K. Pinkston, in accordance with a pre-marriage 


agreement between Lydia Waterman and Milo Pinkston, 
whereby certain property was required to be placed in trust 
for the sole and separate use of Lydia. Then began a series of 
amusing transfers. and inter-transfers, and after traveling 
around for several years the title came back to Adin Water- 
man, Trustee for Lydia V. Pinkston, safe and sound; and in 
another chain also the half interest of John W. Richard, 
amounting in all to 225 acres. Adin Waterman, Trustee, etc., 


under power of attorney from Lydia V. and Milo K. Pinkston, 


transferred the property on January 15, 1842, to Rev. James 
McDonald,° who was then the pastor of the Baptist Church 
in Jacksonville. 

The chain of title to West LaVilla was not so complicated. 
Calvin and Rebecca Reed deeded the 250 acres July 29, 1839, 
to J. W. Richard. Three days afterward (August 1, 1839) 
Richard quit-claimed to John Warren. On March 19, 1842, 
John Warren deeded these 250 acres to James McDonald.¢ 
Rev. McDonald had acquired East LaVilla the previous Janu- 
ary and thus nearly all of the original grant was brought 
together under single ownership. 

Mr. McDonald disposed of these holdings in 1851. On Jan- 
uary 28, 1851, he sold 350 acres to Samuel Spencer, and the 
remainder February 1, 1851, to Rev. Joseph S. Baker, who 
had succeeded Rev. McDonald as the Baptist pastor in Jack- 
sonville. Mr. Baker acquired Samuel Spencer’s interest June 


dd HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


9, 1851, and the property was again brought together under 
one ownership.‘ Rev. Joseph 8S. Baker held the tract until 
after the war when he sold the bulk of his estate to F. F. 
L’Engle and others and the property was subdivided and 
much of it incorporated in the Town of LaVilla. 

It has been published that when Mr. Baker bought the 
McDonald farm his son, J. McRobert Baker, remodeled the 
McDonald home and named the plantation LaVilla. He built 
a school house on the land and named it LaVilla Institute. 
This school continued until the beginning of the War Between 
the States.’ 


Robert Hutcheson, 1815. 
(Willowbrook Park Section and Ingleside) 


Robert Hutcheson (often spelled Hutchinson in the rec- 
ords) on December 12, 1815, obtained a Spanish grant com- 
prising 150 acres on the northwest side of the River San 
Juan, described by surveyors’ measurements. The tract 
was nearly square and had a river frontage extending from a 
point between James and Cherry Streets to about Donald 
Street. It lacked only a few hundred feet of adjoining the 
Dell tract on the east. Robert Hutcheson died in possession 
of the property. His widow, as administratrix, sold the land 
(together with the Hutcheson concession adjoining on the 
southwest, see page 48) to Dr. Whipple Aldrich, October 25, 
1830. Dr. Aldrich conveyed to William McKay March 19, 
1886. Mr. McKay died in possession, and in settlement of 
his estate, this property was sold, his heirs joining in quit- 
claim deeds, to Francis D. Scarlett March 2, 1850. Francis 
D. Searlett sold it April 11, 1850, to Elias G. Jaudon. Elias 
G. Jaudon sold a part of the original grant (it is the grant 
and not the Hutcheson concession that we are tracing here), 
lying mostly east of Willow Brook to Ewell Jamison. Elias 
G. Jaudon and wife on May 15, 1869, deeded the remaining 
part of the grant south of Willow Brook (and a narrow strip 
of a few acres of the concession joining on the south) to 
Sarah J. McKinlay, their daughter, as her proportion of the 
estate. This “Gift of Love and Affection” to Mrs. McKinlay 
is now Ingleside and Pinehurst. 

The records do not indicate why the narrow strip of a 
few acres was included. Maybe some interesting little cir- 
cumstance was involved, possibly of a topographical nature. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 45 


George Atkinson, 1816. 
(Shadow Lawn, Arden, Fishweir Park) 


George Atkinson, on February 22, 1816, obtained a con- 
cession from Governor Coppinger of a tract of land lying 
along but mostly north of Fishware (Big Fishweir) Creek. 
Two years later Robert Hutcheson obtained a concession 
embracing lands adjoining his (Hutcheson’s) grant. When 
the survey of the Hutcheson concession was made it was 
found that it included lands claimed by Atkinson. A con- 
troversy arose between Hutcheson and Atkinson in regard 
to the “over-lap” and it was taken to the courts. The land- 
grant commissioners confirmed the over-lap to Hutcheson,’ 
and a court decree in December, 1829, did likewise and estab- 
lished the line. There was no question about the other lines 
of the Atkinson concession and the land commissioners con- 
firmed to him that portion outside of the over-lap. Accord- 
ing to the survey it contained 219 acres. 


*From the decision of the commissioners and the court, 
Atkinson had no legal claim to the over-lap. If he really needed 
more land the opportunity for securing it was knocking at his 
southern door, for there was an unclaimed stretch along the 
riverfront between his land and that of McQueen (McIntosh) 
equal in size if not greater than the part in controversy that 
he no doubt could easily have acquired under the Donation Act. 
The controversy between Hutcheson and Atkinson started in 
Spanish times. 


Atkinson owned the tract for a great many years and died 
in possession. It was deeded to Fannie L. Fehrenbach No- 
vember 25, 1881, by Henry Young, executor of the estate of 
George Atkinson. Mrs. Fehrenbach platted the property in 
1882¢ and put it on the market in acreage tracts. This is now 
Shadow Lawn, Arden, and Fishweir Park. 


Maria Taylor, 1816. 
(Jacksonville, west of Market Street) 


During the “Patriot” troubles a Spanish subject named 
Purnal Taylor was killed in a skirmish with a scouting party 
of the “Patriot” army in the inland passage to Fernandina. 
His widow, Mrs. Maria Taylor, afterward petitioned the Span- 
ish governor and was granted 200 acres of vacant land on the 


46 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


north side of the River San Juan, opposite Fort San Nicholas. 
A copy of the land-grant to Mrs. Taylor follows :¢ 


(Translation) 


Don Jose Coppinger, lieutenant colonel of the royal armies, civil 
and military governor pro tem., and chief of the royal finance in the 
city of St. Augustine, Florida, and its province: 

Whereas by royal order of the 29th of March, 1815, his majesty 
has been pleased to approve the gifts and rewards proposed by my 
predecessor, the Brigadier Don Sebastian Kindelan, for the officers and 
soldiers both of the line as well as the militia of the said province, who 
contributed to the defense of the same at the time of the rebellion, 
being one of said rewards, the partition of lands in proportion to the 
number of family each individual may have, That Dona Maria Suarez, 
widow of Turnel (Purnal) Taylor, having presented herself soliciting 
the quantity she, her deceased husband, children and slaves were en- 
titled to, on account of the said husband being killed in the attack made 
by the enemy upon the river St. Johns during the insurrection in this 
province, as she has proven by certificate, then was granted by my decree 
on the 12th of the present month two hundred acres of land on the 
opposite side of the military post of St. Nicholas, on the river St. 
Johns, at the mouth of the creek known as McCoy’s Creek, bounded 
on the west by the plantation of John Jones and on the other sides by 
vacant lands; ail conformable to the regulation established by this gov- 
ernment for the partition of lands and the number of persons and slaves 
her said family is composed of, as is set forth in the proceedingss insti- 
tuted by the above-mentioned Dona Maria Suarez, on file in the govern- 
ment notary’s office. 

Given under my hand and seal and countersigned by the under- 
signed notary of the government and royal finance, in the city of St. 
Augustine, Florida, September 18, 1816. 

JOSE COPPINGER. 
By order of his Excellency, 
Juan de Entralgo, etc., etc., etc. 


The award of the land-grant commissioners confirming 
the original title in Hogans (Taylor) was made April 26, 
1824,7 almost two years after the town of Jacksonville had 
been surveyed and founded. J. D. Hart eventually got hold 
of all of the Taylor grant, excepting ten acres. In 1821 he 
bought 18 acres in the southeast corner nearest the ford; 
this tract was later included in the original survey of Jack- 
sonville. On July 10, 1831, he acquired another section of 
the Taylor grant; May 28, 1834, another; and April 15, 1836, 
all of the remaining portion,” except the ten acres referred to 
above. The boundaries of the Taylor grant as filed with the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 47 


land-commissioners were: North by public land; South by 
River St. Johns; West by lands formerly granted to John 
Jones (the Hendricks grant); East by lands granted to 
Maestre.2 


Juan Maestre, 1816 
(Jacksonville, east of Market Street) 


Juan Maestre (referred to in English as John Masters), 
a “Skipper in the Boats of the Royal Domain’, representing 
himself as being in straitened circumstances, petitioned on 
November 18, 1816, for 100 acres of “vacant hammock lands 
on the north side of the river St. Johns, opposite the battery 
of St. Nicholas”. The Spanish governor ordered that 
Maestre’s petition be granted and it was done on December 
13, 1816. He was granted only 50 acres, however, as that 
was all he was entitled to under the Spanish law,? but the 
land actually granted was increased by subsequent surveys 
to about 80 acres.’ His land was bounded East and North 
by Hogans Creek, West by the Maria Taylor grant, and 
South by the River St. Johns. It was surveyed February 21, 
1817, by George I. F. Clarke.¢ 

On June 21, 1820, Maestre sold the tract to John Brady 
for $200. Brady conveyed it John Bellamy January 27, 1823, 
after Jacksonville had been founded and some lots had been 
sold. I. D. Hart got control of John Bellamy’s interest July 
26, 1826, but he did not get title by conveyance from Bellamy 
until May 4, 1836. On December 18, 1836, for $1100, I. D. 
Hart conveyed his right, title and interest in this property 
to William J. Mills, in trust for Mrs. Maria Doggett.« 


Daniel Hogans, 1817 
(East Jacksonville, Fairfield) 


Daniel Hogans, under date of March 18, 1817, obtained a 
concession from Governor Coppinger of 255 acres, situated 
on the north bank of the St. Johns River, nearly opposite the 
battery of San Nicholas, and east of Hogans Creek. 
Daniel Hogans conveyed this land to E. Hudnall November 
11, 1818, the consideration named being $330.2 On May 10, 
1838, Elizabeth Hendricks (widow), formerly the widow of 
E. Hudnall and holder of the title to the Daniel Hogans 
tract, conveyed the property to Rev. David Brown (who at 
that time was rector of St. Johns Church in Jacksonville, 


48 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


and editor of the Jacksonville Courier newspaper) ; the con- 
sideration named in this transfer was $700. David Brown, 
on October 18, 1849, sold to John Brantly and Mrs. P. W. 
Bryant (afterward Mrs. George Houston), jointly, for $500.¢ 
Mr. Brown seems to have lost money in this deal, if the con- 
sideration given in the deed, $500, was the full selling price. 

John Brantly and Mrs. George Houston in January, 1850, 
reached an agreement for the division of the property, the 
transaction being properly drawn up and recorded. Both 
Brantly and Houston began to sell parcels to different par- 
ties, some for saw-mill sites and others for other purposes.’ 


Robert Hutcheson, 1818 
(Avondale, Ribault Place, Ingleside Heights) 


Robert Hutcheson (often spelled Hutchinson in the rec- 
ords) on January 9, 1818, obtained a concession from Gover- 
nor Coppinger of 350 acres bounded Northerly by his 
(Hutcheson’s) grant of 1815, Easterly by St. Johns River, 
Southerly by George Atkinson’s lands, Westerly by vacant 
land. (This is the property involved in the “over-lap” con- 
troversy described on page 44.) The land-grant commis- 
sioners approved Hutcheson’s claim to this property June 
17, 1824.2 Robert Hutcheson died in possession, and Eliza- 
beth Hutcheson, his widow, executrix under his will, sold 
both the grant and the concession to Dr. Whipple Aldrich, 
October 25, 1880. Grant and concession both trace through 
the same chain to Elias G. Jaudon, namely, Whipple Aldrich 
to William McKay, March 19, 1836; to Francis D. Scarlett, 
March 2, 1850; to Elias G. Jaudon, April 11, 1850.¢ 

Elias G. Jaudon died in possession of the concession in 
1871, except the narrow strip along the northeasterly line 
previously deeded to his daughter Sarah J. McKinlay. His 
will provided that the property, then known as “Magnolia 
Plantation”, be divided equally among his wife and four 
children, naming them. This was done March 10, 1872, by 
three regularly appointed commissioners. The division was 
platted as Lots 1 to 5 inclusive, and assignment made :¢ 

Lot 1, Jane I. Jaudon; Lot 2, Laura A. Weeks; Lot 8, 
Mary E. Duffie. Avondale and Ribault Place are subdi- 
visions of these lots. Lot 4, Thomas H. Jaudon. Ingleside 
Heights is a part of Lot 4. Lot 5, Ella L. Jaudon, now subdi- 
vided into building lots. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 49 


John R. Hogans, 1820 
(Springfield) 


During the latter part of the year 1820, John R. Hogans 
settled on land north of Hogans Creek, and under the Dona- 
tion Act received title to 640 acres. This is called Hogans’s 
Donation. He conveyed these 640 acres to W. G. Dawson 
July 24, 1823.2 On February 3, 1829, I. D. Hart, ex-officio 
administrator of the estate of W. G. Dawson, deceased, con- 
veyed the tract to John Warren. John Warren conveyed it 
to I. D. Hart October 25, 1829. Hart sold it to Thomas G. 
Saunders in 1846. On September 9, 1847, Thomas G. Saun- 
ders conveyed it to Adeline Jones.¢ 


*Adeline Jones was the daughter of John Middleton and 
Captain Middleton bought this property for her for $450 in 
gold. On August 4, 1849, Adeline and husband sold 50 acres 

_for $50 to E. A. DeCottes; this is now Hansontown. In 1867, 
4 acres were sold to Frank Franklin (colored) for $100; now 
ealled Franklintown.g 


With the above exceptions Hogans’s Donation descended 
to Eliza Jones (afterward Mrs. W. M. Bostwick), daughter 
of Thomas W. and Adeline Jones. The bulk of it was sold to 
the Springfield Company in 1882, and by that company 
platted into lots.¢ 

The name Springfield was given to the section north of 
Hogans Creek about 1869, it is said by C. L. Robinson, and 
the name was really suggested by a spring of good water 
located in a field through which West Fourth Street would 
now pass.é 


Along the Riverfront 


When the United States acquired Florida (1821) the en- 
tire riverfront on the north side from Commodore’s Point 
to Ortega was held under Spanish grants or concessions, ex- 
cept for two little breaks. There was a gap about as wide 
as a city block at the foot of King Street where the Dell and 
the Hutcheson lands failed to meet; and another of a few 
hundred yards south of Fishweir Creek between the Atkin- 
son and McIntosh (McQueen) lines. Elsewhere in this locali- 
ty on both sides of the river and in the back country were 
other grants and concessions and donations, but those traced 
here have the most important bearing on the built-up por- 


50 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


tion of the city. The chain of title to these is remarkably 
complete, especially for the early times, when the filing of 
a deed was considered a matter of no vital importance, as a 
transfer of land then became a matter of public knowledge. 
Sometimes deeds were held for years before they were re- 
corded. 


Bibliography, Chapter III 
aAmerican State Papers, Public Lands, Vol. IV; bBill of Complaint in suit to quiet 


title; cTitle abstracts; fNewspaper account; gMrs. W. M. Bostwick; Florida Reports, 
Vol. V, p. 216; Vol. VI, p. 483; Vol. XIV, p. 162. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 51 


CHAPTER IV 


JACKSONVILLE FOUNDED 
First Settlers 


Robert Pritchard, as has been noted, was the first white 
settler on the site of Jacksonville when he established him- 
seif here in 1791. Whether the overseers cultivating the 
land for the Pritchard heirs joined the Patriots in 1812 or 
were driven off by them is not known. 

The grant made to Mrs. Maria Taylor in 1816 comprised 
a part of the land formerly occupied by Pritchard. Mrs. 
Taylor married Lewis Zachariah Hogans shortly after she 
procured the grant, and they at once began building a home. 
About Christmas time (1816) they moved across from the 
south side of the river and occupied their new home. The 
house was built of logs, but it was larger and more carefully 
constructed than the usual log cabins of that day. It stood 
near the northwest corner of Hogan and #orsyth Streets, 
partly in Forsyth Street, immediately west of the present 
Duval Hotel. Hogans cleared a field east of his house and 
fenced it; his eastern fence ran alongside a swamp, about 
where Laura Street is now. In the spring of 1817 he planted 
a crop from which he gathered in great abundance.? ‘The old 
Hogans well, situated where the U. S. Government building 
now stands, was a landmark remembered by citizens up to 
afew years ago. The log cabin gave way to a better house 
(frame) before the War Between the States. 


*L, Z. Hogans laid down his life in the Spring of 1837 in 
the war with the Seminoles. He left practically no estate. 


The grant made to Juan Maestre, also in 1816, joined the 
Maria ‘layior grant at what is now Market Street. Maestre 
took possession of his land in 1817 and built his cabin at what 
is now the southwest corner of Forsyth and Liberty Streets. 
It was a typical one-room log cabin. Maestre cleared a 
field and put in a crop in the spring of 1817, but he never 
gathered it. The “Carthagenians” took possession of Fer- 
nandina about that time, and fearing a repetition of the 
Patriot troubles, the Spanish garrison at San Nicholas and 


52 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — 
the Boats of the Royal Domain to which Macatvaye was at- 
tached, were withdrawn to St. Augustine. He therefore was 
taken away from his new home and lost his crop. Maestre 
never returned to the St. Johns.¢ 

John Brady arrived at the Cow Ford in the summer or 
fall of 1818, and occupied Maestre’s cabin, probably under 
some sort of rental contract, until June 21, 1820,when he ob- 
tained title to the grant by conveyance from Maestre. Brady 
fixed the cabin up, built an addition to it and erected a shed 
for a stable. He bought a dugout for the purpose of sculling 
passengers across the river, as he no doubt saw the need of 
a ferry and figured that it would increase his income. The 
cabin was on the side of the road near the ferry and travelers 
usually rested here and fed their horses, furnishing another 
means of revenue for the pioneer.” 


*John Brady moved to Alabama in February, 1823. 


The First Store 


Among the early travelers to the St. Johns country were 
two men from Georgia, William G. Dawson and Stephen E. 
Buckles, who foresaw that some day a town might be built 
at this point. They decided to remain and open a store; this 
was probably in 1819. They built a log house near the King’s 
Road (south side of Adams Street, about 150 feet from the 
southwest corner of Market) ; brought down a stock of goods 
by sailing vessel from New York, and opened a mercantile 
establishment.¢ This was the first store in this section of the 
country, and Dawson & Buckles worked up a good business. 
It was not what we usually picture as a general country 
store carrying all kinds of small articles; the stock comprised 
such goods as blankets, saddles and bridles, farming imple- 
ments, buckets, and the like. Sometimes the proprietors 
sold out of goods entirely, for transportation by sailing ves- 
sel was slow and uncertain, prohibiting the regulation of 
supply and demand.? . 


*Stephen E. Buckles returned to Georgia probably in 1822. 

William G. Dawson died in Jacksonville October 19, 1826; 
he was prominent as a man of affairs, and at his death owned 
the 640 acres now known as Springfield and other property of 
considerable value. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 53 


Isaiah David Hart was the next settler at the Cow Ford; 
he came in January, 1821. Hart was not a stranger to this 
locality, for he was a Patriot of 1812. Accounts of the store 
that had been opened at the Cow Ford reached him while he 
was living on his farm near the St. Marys River; hearing 
of Dawson & Buckles’ success and that John Brady was 
doing well, he decided to move here and locate permanently.¢ 
On May 12, 1821, I. D. Hart bought 18 acres from L. Z. 
Hogans (bounded east by Market Street and south by the 
river), paying $72 for the 18 acres, it is said in cattle. He 
built a double log cabin (about where the Church club now 
stands, on the south side of Forsyth Street between Market 
and Newnan) ; brought his household goods here by boat and 
his family across country. Daniel C. Hart, his brother, 
came at the same time. 


First Hotel 


Up to this time, the traveler wishing to spend the night 
in the future metropolis of Florida, had a miserable exper- 
ience ahead of him.? John Brady was kind-hearted and of- 
fered such as he had, but his cabin afforded little that was 
inviting, and his guests usually slept under the trees with 
a saddle for a pillow. Often Dawson & Buckles came to the 
rescue by offering the use of the attic above the store, and 
occasionally in special cases spread stock blankets on the 
store-house floor for the comfort of some visitor. Dawson 
& Buckles were the first to see the need of better accommo- 
dations for those who wished to stay and see the country, 
and they built a frame house east of their store (at the south- 
west corner of Adams and Market Streets) for a boarding 
house. It was constructed of lumber sawed in a sawpit and 
was the first frame house in this section of the country. 
Upon its completion in 1821, its owners sent down to St. 
Johns Bluff for Mrs. Sarah Waterman to come and take 
charge. Upon her arrival the population of the settlement 
increased one hundred per cent, as she brought her four 
daughters and two young sons with her.¢ 


*They were Helen; Ann (married Joshua Hickman); 
Louisa (married Wm. H. Burritt); Lydia (married Milo Pinks- 
ton); Adin. The name of the other son is not known. Mrs. 
Waterman died Sept. 4, 1830. Adin and Lydia figured in the 
LaVilla land titles. 


54 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Mrs. Waterman’s boarding house, called the “Inn”, was 
frequently mentioned in the newspaper (St. Augustine) ac- 
counts of the early court days in Jacksonville. A young bar- 
rister writing for the St. Augustine paper stated that he was 
glad to sit down to supper “at which a good-looking girl pre- 
sided.’’4 

Joseph Andrews, brother-in-law of I. D. Hart, was the 
next settler to arrive at the Cow Ford. He built a frame 
house on what is now the south side of Adams Street, mid- 
way between Newnan and Ocean Streets.¢ 

This was the resident population when Jacksonville was 
founded. All resided within the limits of the town as later 
surveyed, except L. Z. Hogans. 


Jacksonville Founded, 1822 


When the actual transfer of Florida to the United States 
was accomplished in July, 1821, travel from the States in- 
creased, and most of the land travel to East Florida came 
down over the Kings road and, consequently, to the settle- 
ment at the Cow Ford. I. D. Hart had not been here long when 
he conceived the idea of laying off a townsite. He experienced 
considerable difficulty in convincing his neighbor, John 
Brady, of the possibility of developing a town here; bur 
finally, though not enthusiastic about the matter, Brady con- 
sented to donate the land necessary for the streets. When 
all was in readiness for the survey, a question arose that 
nearly broke up the plan, for Brady and Hart could not agree 
as to the dividing line between their lands from which the 
survey was to begin. After considerable dispute they at last 
agreed to accept the claim of L. Z. Hogans that the corner 
tree stood on the river bank at the foot of the present Market 
Street, and the survey should start from there.¢ 


*There is a note in an old abstract that I have examined 
stating that this tree was a fine old bay. The naming of Bay 
Street may have been influenced by this fact. 


The town was surveyed in June, 1822, under the super- 
vision of three commissioners, residents of the neighbor- 
hood, namely Francis J. Ross, Benjamin Chaires and John 
Bellamy. The surveyor was D. 8S. H. Miller, who formerly 
was connected with the Spanish post San Nicholas as “Cap- 
tain of the Rural Militia of the St. Johns River, District of 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 55 


San Nicholas, and Deputy Surveyor”. John W. Roberts 
acted as Clerk./ 

It was decided that there should be six lots, each 105 feet 
square, in each block—two lots adjoining north and south 
(210 feet), and three lots east and west (315 feet). The sur- 
vey began at the corner tree agreed upon and thence north- 
erly a street was surveyed, eighty feet in width, the proper- 
ty owners on each side donating 40 feet. This was Jackson- 
ville’s first street and was given the name Market Street, 
but why it was so named seems to have become a lost record. 

The next street laid off was Bay Street with a width of 
seventy feet. The first square designated and numbered was 
east of Market and north of Bay, and in compliment to Brady 
as the first settler present upon the land in that part of the 
survey, it was designated Square No. 1. The next square 
was across Market Street west of No. 1, and it was desig- 
nated No. 2. The square north of it was numbered 38; and 
east of that, 4. When the survey was being made of Square 
No. 1, it was found that Brady’s house would be in the street, 
according to the original plan; so another tier of lots was 
added on the east side of Square No. 1, making this square 
eight lots instead of six, but saving Brady from living in the 
middle of the street. Thus the tier of blocks between Liber- 
ty and Market Streets is composed of eight lots instead of 
Six. 

The survey was then extended to Square No. 5 east of No. 
1, the King’s road leading north from the river between them. 
The street was named Liberty Street, but in the old records 
it seemed to have been occasionally called Ferry Street also. 
The square north of No. 5 was designated No. 6; north of 
that, No. 8; west of that, No. 7; and west of No. 7, No. 9. 
This was the surveyor’s wrong marking and was not cor- 
rected on the original plat.¢ 

From the survey of Square No. 9, the commissioners came 
back to Bay Street and ran off Square No. 10 west of No. 2; 
and north of No. 10, they surveyed Nos. 11 and 12, respec- 
tively. Again they came back to Bay Street east of Wash- 
ington Street and laid off Square No. 13 east of No. 5; and 
north of No. 18, they surveyed Nos. 14, 15, 16 in the order 
named. Then they turned west and surveyed Nos. 17, 18, 
19, and 20. Here they stayed their work and never resumed 
it.¢ 


56 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Town Named 


By unanimous agreement the town was named Jackson- 
ville, in honor of General Andrew Jackson, popular idol of 
that day in Florida. The name was suggested by John War- 
ren, a resident of the locality, but not of the town; he had 
served as a volunteer in the army of General Jackson during 
the Indian troubles in West Florida. General Jackson was 
not present when the town was surveyed, as some accounts 
have stated; in fact, there is no authentic record that he ever 
visited this part of Florida at all. | 


Street Names 


The streets named by the commissioners in 1822 still bear 
their original names. Market and Bay cannot be definitely 
traced as to their meaning. Liberty and Washington indi- 
cate the patriotism of the commissioners. Newnan was 
named for Col. Daniel Newnan, here with the Patriots and 
who made the famous campaign against the Indian King 
Payne in central Florida; and afterward was Inspector-Gen- 
eral of Georgia. Forsyth was named for General John For- 
syth, U.S. Minister to Spain, who conducted the negotiations 
for the acquisition of Florida. Adams Street was named for 
John Quincy Adams, then Secretary of State in President 
Monroe’s cabinet, and who had a great deal to do with the 
cession of Florida; Monroe Street for President James Mon- 
roe; and Duval Street for Governor William P. Duval, first 
civil governor of Florida. 


First Realty Transfer 


At the time Jacksonville was platted and named the town- 
site was in St. Johns County. Duval County was not created 
until two months afterward, or on August 12, 1822. Conse- 
quently, the first deeds specify St. Johns County in their 
description. 

The first transfer of a lot in the town of Jacksonville was 
from John Brady to Stephen Eubanks, conveying Lot 2, 
Square 1, including the margin to the river, for $12.00. The 
deed was dated July 1, 1822, and described the lot as follows :s 


One quarter acre of land lying in St. Johns County, in Jacksonville, 
on the St. Johns River, in the front street leading from the ferry, to- 
gether with the margin below sd. lot on the river side, to Hart’s land- 
ing, 3d lot from sd. ferry. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 57 


The margin on the river mentioned is now Water Lot No. 
22, between Market and Liberty Streets in front of the Clyde 
Line piers. 

D. 8. H. Miller, the surveyor, acquired several lots in 
Square 5, maybe in payment for his services as surveyor of 
the townsite. John Bellamy bought the northwest corner 
of Liberty and Bay Streets, and John Warren bought lots 
in different locations. Conveyances of lots were made at in- 
tervals during the next few months at prices ranging from 
$10 to $25 a lot.¢ 


Jacksonville’s Situation 


The original survey extended to Catherine Street on the 
east, Duval Street on the north, Ocean Street on the west, 
and St. Johns River on the south. All along the river from 
the foot of Liberty Street westward to L. Z. Hogans’s east- 
ern fence (Laura Street) was a hammock through which no 
one ever passed; the present Main Street south of Duval was 
aswamp. Eastward of the ferry (Liberty Street to Catherine 
Street) was a high bluff; east of Catherine Street was low 
marsh land. North of Forsyth Street was open pine land ex- 
tending back almost to Hogans Creek. The Kings road led 
in from the northwest, passing in front of Dawson’s store 
and the “Inn”, thence to Liberty Street east of Brady’s 
cabin, where it turned down Liberty Street to the old Cow 
Ford. Amidst these surroundings, and with this artery of 
travel leading to the outside world by land and the St. Johns 
River by water, Jacksonville was launched upon its career. 


The Founder of Jacksonville 


When I. D. Hart arrived at the Cow Ford in January, 1821, 
there were already here a store and two settlers. It is said 
that upon arrival he pitched a tent at the foot of Liberty 
Street and lived there until he built his cabin and brought 
his family here from the St. Marys. The next year, 1822, 
the town was surveyed after the arrival of several other 
settlers. I. D. Hart was the originator of the idea and de- 
serves the credit of being Jacksonville’s founder. He lived 
to see the settlement develop into a town of two thousand 
inhabitants. At one time or another he owned nearly all the 
land now known as the old city, and the most of Springfield. 


58 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


He also owned a farm near the present settlement of Mariet- 
ta; this place he called ‘Cracker Swamp”, and he seems to 
have cultivated it to a certain extent with slaves and free 
labor. His homestead was in Jacksonville, first in his log- 
cabin; then at the northwest corner of Bay and Market 
Streets, and finally, for many years, at the southeast corner 
of Laura and Forsyth Streets. 

I. D. Hart outlived all of the early settlers. Both he and 
his wife, Nancy, died in 1861, and were buried in a vault 
that had already been erected by him for his family, located 
on a plot of ground on the east side of Laura Street between 
State and Orange, back from the Laura Street line about 100 
feet. His tomb bore this queer inscription: 


When I am dead and in my grave, 
And these bones are all rotten; 
When this you see, remember me, 
That I may not be forgotten. 


In 1896, the Hart vault was broken into by vandals who 
removed everything of value, including the silver name- 
plates. This led to an investigation by a reporter for a local 
newspaper, who published the fact that there were evidences 
that nine bodies had been placed in the vault, namely, I. D. 
Hart, his wife and children, and Mary E. Hart, a favorite 
niece. 


*The children of I. D. and Nancy Hart were: Ossian, 
Lodusky, Laura, Daniel, Julia, and Nancy. Nancy was an in- 
valid and met the sad fate of being burned to death. Laura 
and Julia Streets are named for two of these children. It has 
been said that Ocean was formerly Ossian Street, but the Child 
map of 1847 designates it as Ocean. 


The fire of 1901 greatly damaged the old Hart vault and 
instead of rebuilding it, the remains it contained were moved 
to a lot in Evergreen cemetery and the vault in the city de- 
molished. 


Bibliography, Chapter IV 
aHistory of Florida, Webb; bDescriptive article in East Florida Herald (St. Augus- 
tine), Dec. 20, 1825; cFlorida "Times-Union and Citizen, Jan. 1, 1900; dEast Florida 
Herald (St. Augustine), April 14, 1826; cFlorida Reports, Vol. VI, p. 491; fMemoirs of 
Florida, Fleming; gCounty (Archibald) records; hEarly newspaper accounts. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 59 


CHAPTER V 
COUNTY AFFAIRS 


Duval County was created August 12, 1822, by the first 
council under Governor William P. Duval’s administration. 
Its original boundaries were: Suwanee River on the west; a 
line drawn from the mouth of the Suwanee River to the foot 
of Liberty Street in Jacksonville (designated in the Act as 
the Cow Ford), thence down the St. Johns River as it mean- 
ders to the ocean was the southern boundary, while the St. 
Marys River and the Georgia line constituted the northern 
boundary.? Jacksonville was selected as the county seat of 
the new county. 

The governing board of the county comprised four jus- 
tices, one of whom was the presiding justice. While it was 
termed a county court its jurisdiction was extremely limited 
in that respect and the name county commissioners would 
have been more appropriate for the duties performed. Asa 
court their jurisdiction did not approach the importance of 
our present justices of the peace.” The first meeting of this 
court was in Jacksonville on December 16, 1822. The justices 
were: Thomas Reynolds, presiding ; William G. Dawson, Rig- 
non Brown, and Britton Knight. George Gibbs was the 
clerk.< They proceeded to lay off the county into road dis- 
tricts, apportioned the work of building the roads, and at- 
tended to other matters of a like sort.2. James Dell was the 
first sheriff of the county, but he did not serve long; Daniel 
C. Hart was his successor, being later appointed U. S. mar- 
shal and holding both positions until his death.¢ 


First Regular Court 


The half a dozen houses comprising the Town of Jackson- 
ville, in 1823, were all situated in plain sight of the Kings 
road that led down to the ferry at the foot of Liberty Street. 
Travelers coming and going, or stopping for awhile, produced 
no exceptional stir; but on the last day of November, 1823, 
which was Sunday, it became evident that an event of un- 
usual importance was about to transpire. People had been 
coming in all day looking for a place to lodge. Mrs. Sarah 
Waterman’s Inn was filled to the limit. Joseph Andrews had 


60 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


all the guests that he could accommodate and I. D. Hart’s 
abode had no vacant space. Abraham Bellamy offered the 
use of his 10x12 law office recently erected next to Brady’s 
old cabin, and W. G. Dawson went further and spread blan-' 
kets on the fioor of his store for some of the overflow to sleep. 
L. Z. Hogans, over on the hill beyond the swamp, played host 
to one or two. So Jacksonville and vicinity went to bed that 
night crowded to capacity. 

When the morning glow of Monday (December Ist) be- 
gan to brighten over the roadside settlement on the St. Johns, 
it was the dawn of a new day for Duval County. By 10 
o’clock, 200 people had assembled in the vicinity of Market 
and Forsyth Streets to witness the convening of the first reg- 
ular court of law held in this part of the country. It was an 
impressive spectacle. Standing bareheaded, with no roof above 
them except the forest trees, they listened intently to the 
words of Judge Joseph L. Smith in the opening proceedings 
of what was then called the Superior court. The ceremony 
was new to the most of them, but all were apparently pleased 
with the scene, signifying that civil law had stepped in to 
take the place of the long established custom of personal 
settlement of differences.? 


*The corner-stone of the handsome junior high school in 
Springfield was laid in 1928, and the building dedicated to the 
memory of General Edmund Kirby Smith, the famous Confed- 
erate general, who fought for the just cause as he saw it. 
There is also another association here, for it was the centen- 
nial of the event described above, when General Smith’s father 
established the cause of justice for the county at Jacksonville. 


First Grand Jury 


From among those assembled at the opening proceedings 
of the court, a grand jury was drawn and impanelled the next 
day, December 2, 1823. The members of this first grand jury 
of Duval County were: John Bellamy, foreman; Stephen J. 
Eubanks, John Houston, Isaac Tucker, Charles Broward, Sey- 
mour Pickett, John Broward, John Price, James Dell, William 
Matthews, Cotton Rawls, A. G. Loper, Llewellyn Williams, 
Charles Seton, John D. Braddock, J. C. Houston, Nathaniel 
Wilds, Stephen Vinzant.¢ 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 61 


First Civil Case 


The first civil case called for trial was that of Ephraim 
Harrison vs. John D. Vaughan. The record does not show 
the nature of this litigation, but evidently it was of some 
importance, as Judge Smith ordered the continuance of the 
case until the next term. The record recites :° 


“(In case) This day came the parties aforesaid, by their attorneys, 
and thereuponcame a jury, to wit:—F. D. McDonnell, Lewis Christopher, 
Britton Knight, James Rouse, William Sparkman, John Higginbotham, 
David Turner, Matthew H. Philips, John G. Brown, John G. Rushing, 
William G. Dawson and Lewis Thigpen, who were sworn well and truly 
to try the issue joined between the parties; and on motion of the plain- 
tiff by his attorney, and for reasons appearing satisfactory to the court, 
it is ordered that the jury be discharged from rendering a verdict here- 
in, and that this cause be continued until the next term, upon the plain- 
tiff paying all costs of the defendant herein expended.” 


County Courts 


In 1823, the Legislature made some changes in the origin- 
al method of county government and appointed new jus- 
tices, but it was not until the following year, 1824, that the 
law vested them with powers about equal to our present 
justices of the peace. They had jurisdiction over probate 
matters, over the police of the county, and performed the 
duties of county supervisors. As a court they had a certain 
amount of jurisdiction in minor cases.¢ The first incumbents 
under this law, appointees of the governor, were: John L. 
Doggett, presiding ; F. Bethune and John Houston, appointed 
December 30, 1824.¢ The minutes of this court in the early 
years are still preserved. The actual duties seem to have 
been mostly with matters pertaining to the roads of the 
county and to the question of raising funds for the comple- 
tion of the court house and keeping it in repair. Even as 
late as 1840, the notation “Met and adjourned, there being 
no business” often appears. 


*“Court Day” in the early days was the time when the 
people of the county came to town whether they had court 
business or not. They assembled to trade, to hear the “news” 
and to mix with their fellow men. Here and there among the 
trees could be seen little groups dickering on a horse trade; 
others in the stores bargaining with the storekeepers for im- 
plements and supplies, while loitering around the court house 


62 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


whittling away the time for the “Hear ye, hear ye, hear ye”, 
etc., of the court crier were those whose business or curiosity 
led them there. Leaving for home they raced out Kings road in 
a cloud of dust. 


First Lawyer in Jacksonville 


Abraham Bellamy, son of John Bellamy the commis- 
sioner, was the first lawyer to settle at the county seat. This 
was in 1823. He built a little office west of John Brady’s 
cabin, which was then owned by his father, and here he drew 
up most of the early legal papers for the residents of this 
section. Enough odds and ends of descriptions have been 
gathered to picture it as a typical country lawyer’s office, 
equipped with a table and time-worn chairs of home manu- 
facture; a few law books scattered here and there amidst a 
disorderly array of bundles of papers; a map tacked up 
against the door; plenty of dust, and finally a box spittoon 
filled with sand. Nevertheless, Abraham Bellamy’s ability 
as a lawyer was greater than his surroundings indicated, for 
he was afterward a familiar figure in the Territorial councils 
and at one time was president of that body. 


*John Bellamy moved to Middle Florida in 1826 and 
Abraham Bellamy likewise sometime later. 


First Marriage License 


One of Duval County’s oldest official records is a court 
copy of the first marriage license issued by the county. It 
reads :¢ 


Territory of Florida 
County of Duval 

To any Judge, Justice of the Peace, ordained Minister of the Gospel, 
I license or permit you to Join together in the Holy State of Matrimony 
Mr. Robert Robertson and Miss Sarah Tucker, and this shall be your 
sufficient warrant. After the above marriage is solemnized you are 
hereby commanded to return the same certified on this license to my 
office. 

October 7, 1823. J. BELLAMY, Clerk. 


The First Court House 


Court evidently was held under the trees until 1825, as 
prior to that time there was no building here suitable for the 
purpose. In 1825, John Warren erected a two-story building 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 63 


_at the northwest corner of Bay and Newnan Streets. The 
lower story was for a time used as a dwelling and was after- 
ward divided for a store. The upper floor was one room; 
here the Superior court held two or three terms, with con- 
siderable discomfort as there were no sash windows, and the 
wind and rain had full sweep through./ 

When it became known that Jacksonville had been selected 
as the county seat John Brady conveyed the lot at the north- 
east corner of Market and Forsyth Streets (actually valued 
at $15) to Benjamin Chaires and Francis J. Ross in trust to 
be conveyed to the county as a site for the court house.® 
Preparations for building a court house were started in 1824, 
but actual construction did not begin until the summer of 
1825. Immense hewn timbers were hauled to the lot and 
when they were laid out for framing the people of the county 
voluntarily gathered and under the direction of Seymour 
Pickett raised them in two days.2. When this was done 
Messrs. Chaires and Ross deeded the lot to the county (July 
13, 1825) in compliance with the trust from Brady. 

The court house remained in this state more than three 
years, with only the framing standing. In 1826 the base- 
ment was roofed over and subsequent terms of court were 
held there when the weather was good; or else in the hall 
over John Warren’s place.f About 1828-9, the framing was 
boarded in and the roof put on. The temporary hewn tim- 
bers supporting the construction were removed and brick 
pillars of great size and strength were built and the building 
correctly leveled. The court house faced the river. A long, 
broad portico, supported by brick pillars was before the front 
and broad steps led up to it from the ground. Back of these 
was the entrance to the basement, which was ten feet in the 
clear. The main entrance was ten feet high and was pro- 
vided with wide double doors. Inside steps led up on the east 
and the west to the upper story. The windows, seven feet 
high and four feet wide, were provided with double shutters 
of white pine, which closed out the wind and rain and also 
the light.? 

This court house was known far and wide as the best 
constructed building in all of this part of the country.” The 
difficulties confronting the county authorities in raising 
funds for the completion of the court house are recorded in 
their minutes. They petitioned the U. S. government to 


64 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - 


complete it, as the Superior court was using it more than any 
other, which brought about an arrangement whereby the 
government paid the county rent for its use; they had diffi- 
culty sometimes in collecting this rent promptiy. They peti- 
tioned the Territorial Legisiature for permission to run lot- 
teries in order to raise the $6,000 needed to complete the 
court house. Joseph B. Lancaster, I. D. Hart and William 
J. Mills were authorized by the Legisiature to conduct the 
lottery. These gentlemen were ali church members and one 
was a deacon; the inference is, that iotteries in that day were 
not considered gambling. 


*Something is hidden somewhere behind this struggle for 
funds to complete the court house, for the people of this section 
in the 1830’s prior to the Seminole war and the panic of 18387, 
were evidenily enjoying prosperity, as they were laying plans 
for a $75,000 bank and a million dollar railroad for the county 
seat. Yet they opposed a special tax levy to raise the $6,000 
necessary to complete the building. 


The court house was not finally completed until sometime 
in the early 1840’s, from funds derived from a scrip issue. 
The building was burned by Federal troops March 29, 1868. 


*Duval County has built three court houses. The second 
court house was built on the site of the one burned in 1863, but 
faced Market Street instead of orsyth. It was solidly built of 
brick, with unusually thick walls. Construction was com- 
menced in 1834 and the building completed and occupied in 
November, 1886. <A full description of it will be found in the 
Florida Times-Union of November 5, 1886. The court house 
walis were the only ones in the city that withstood to any 
extent the great fire of May 3, 1901. They remained standing 
and were used in reconstructing the building now occupying 
that corner, which has the same ground space and the same 
outline as the court house, except the shape of the tower. 

The present court house was completed in November, 1902, 
at a cost of $100,000 secured through a bond issue. The site 
was shifted across Market Street because the county already 
owned the two lots on the west side of Market between Adams 
and Forsyth Streets, and needing more ground for a larger 
court house than the lot at the northwest corner of Market and 
Forsyth would accommodate, it was decided to reconstruct the 
old court house for an armory, and build the new court house 
across the street. The court house annex was completed in 
October, 1916, at a cost of about $90,000. 





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DUVAL COUNTY COURTHOUSE 
(1886-1901) 









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Courtesy of Geo. M. Chapin and C. H. Brown 


Completed in 1886. Gutted in the fire of May 3, 1901; but its walls 
remained intact and were used in reconstructing the building. Situated 
at the northeast corner of Forsyth and Market Streets. 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 65 


Judges of Duval County: Thomas Reynolds (presiding), 
1822-1828; Benjamin Chaires (sole), 1823-1824; John L. 
Doggett (presiding, then sole judge), December, 1824, to 
January, 1844 (died in office); Farquahar Bethune, 1844- 
1845; William F. Crabtree, 1845-1849; Felix Livingston, 
1849-1855; Benjamin Hopkins, 1855-1856; R. R. Rushing, 
1857; Oscar Hart, 1857; R. R. Rushing, 1858-1859 ; Chandler 
S. Emery, 1859-1861; Francis F. L’Engle, 1861-1863; None 
in 1864; F. I. Wheaton, 1865; Aristides Doggett, 1866 to 
July, 1868; W. A. McLean, July, 1868, to December, 1888; 
W. B. Owen, 1889-1892; William H. Baker, 1893-1900; Henry 
B. Philips, 1901-1920; John W. DuBose, 1921 to date. 


Bibliography, Chapter V 
aActs of the Territorial Councils ; bHistory of Florida, Webb; cMemoirs of Florida, 
Fleming; dDescriptive article in Jacksonville Courier, January, 1835; eRecords in 
County Judge’ s oftice; fEast Florida Herald (St. Augustine) of the period. 


66 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER VI 
DEVELOPMENT OF JACKSONVILLE 


For several years after the survey of Jacksonville in 
1822, I. D. Hart must have experienced severe disappoint- 
ment, for his dream of a boom town at the Cow Ford did not 
materialize rapidly. Brady and Hogans, who scouted the 
idea in the beginning, no doubt expressed themselves upon 
occasion, “I told you so”. Brady shortly afterward sold out 
and moved away, but L. Z. Hogans remained to perpetuate 
the expression. 

Up to 1828-30, the development of the place was confined 
to the building of about one house a year within the town 
limits. A dismal picture was drawn of it by a writer in the 
East Florida Herald of St. Augustine, December 20, 1825; 
he said: 


When this town (Jacksonville) was laid out on the St. Johns river, 
great expectations were formed of its rapid increase, commodious 
houses were soon to be built, commerce and useful mechanic arts were 
to flourish, and the soil improved by cultivation and industry. But alas! 
none of these fond expectations have been realized. There are not more 
than eight or ten houses erected of any description, most of which are 
rudely formed of logs, and affording only a feeble protection against 
the cold, the wind, and the rain. There is not a sash window in the 
whole town; but few of the houses have even a chimney. 


There appears to be very little trade of any kind carried on in the 
place. There is, indeed, one store of goods, but whether well or ill 
supplied, the writer of this article is unable to state, for although he 
was several days in the place, during the late term of the Superior 
court held there, and was desirous of purchasing many necessary 
articles of merchandise, usually kept in country stores, he never found 
this store open or any person ready to attend upon purchasers. He 
therefore presumed it was only a warehouse for the deposit and trans- 
portation of goods into the country and not for their sale at the place. 
It was, perhaps, a wholesale and not a retail store. As to mechanics, 
there does not appear to be a single working individual in the whole 
place. 


The building appropriated for the use of the court would scarcely 
be considered fit for a barn. It is open to the wind and rain at almost 
every point of the compass. There is, indeed, the frame of a pretty 
large courthouse erected, which has the appearance of having been in 
that state for some time. Nothing has since been done to it. 

Yet nothing can be more beautiful than the natural situation of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 67 


the place. It commands an elevated, picturesque, and extensive view 
of the St. Johns river at its majestic bend from the south. It is 
admirably situated for commerce; the water is of sufficient depth for 
‘ vessels of upwards of a hundred tons burden, to moor close to the 
shore. 

The regular term of the Superior court, directed by the Legislative 
council to be held twice a year, lately drew together at this place a 
pretty numerous assemblage of strangers. Every house was crammed 
as closely as possible. The judge of the court, with several members 
of the bar at St. Augustine, having been detained by the badness of 
the famous King’s road from that city to the Cow-ford, on their 
arrival at Jacksonville were unable to obtain any kind of lodging there 
—even on the floor. They were therefore compelled to take up their 
quarters at Mr. Hendricks’s on the other side of the river, a respectable 
planter, who does not professedly keep a public house, though often 
infiuenced by hospitality and kindness to accommodate travelers. He 
is licensed to keep the ferry on that side of the river, and promptly 
afforded the Judge and the gentlemen who had business in court every 
facility in crossing the river. 


This is one of a number of descriptive articles on Jack- 
sonville published in the St. Augustine paper prior to 1828. 
All stress the beautiful situation of the village, but complain 
about the accommodations at court terms. “Junior Bar- 
rister’” in the Herald of March 26, 1826, remarked that it 
was customary for the grand jury to lodge in the open air 
and suggests “with the intention of keeping their heads cool, 
in order to deliberate with more caution and prudence.” 


First Sawmill 


In 1828 or 1829, Charles F. Sibbald built the first steam 
sawmill in East Florida at Panama on Trout Creek. He also 
operated a brick kiln. Judge F. Bethune, in his diary 1829-33 
(still preserved), frequently refers to the steam sawmill and 
brick kiln at Panama, in connection with building operations 
at his ‘““New Ross” plantation on the river four miles above 
Jacksonville. During the summer of 1829, Judge Bethune 
built a small sugar mill. The lumber and brick were brought 
up from Panama in the brig “Venus”; he sent to St. Augus- 
tine for a carpenter, and the mill was ready for operation by 
January 1, 1830. He began grinding cane, but soon after- 
ward his cane mill broke down and he had to send again to 
St. Augustine for the carpenter. In three weeks it was 
repaired and he began to grind again. This was probably 


68 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


just an ordinary cane mill, and the circumstances are recited 
to show the difficulties confronting the pioneers of this 
section. 

Judge Bethune’s crops were sugar cane, rice, guinea corn, 
arrow root, sweet and Irish potatoes, rye, and a varied as- 
sortment of vegetables. He had a peach orchard and an 
orange grove. He owned some slaves, but at harvest time 
he hired outside help or free negroes. When his slaves were 
sick he sent to Jacksonville for a Doctor Hall, no doubt the 
first doctor to settle here. It is interesting to note that the 
usual method of treatment was “bleeding”: “Andrew sick; 
Dr. Hall came and bled him” is a characteristic note when 
any of the slaves were sick. And when one died he noted 
the fact as “Dick and George making Peggy’s coffin; buried 
the old and faithful servant in the evening”—a simple eulogy 
full of meaning. 

The sawmill and brick kiln at Panama revolutionized the 
method of construction in this section and the log-cabin era 
in Jacksonville was brought practically to a close. The 
skeleton of the court house was boarded in with lumber from 
this mill and its pillars were built of the brick from the kiln. 
The sound of the axe and the crash of falling trees in and 
around Jacksonville became more frequent with respect to 
clearing up for a building; in the high-flown language of Mr. 
Secretary Walton, “the lofty pines and oaks yielded their 
shade to the saw and their quietude to the hammer’. It was 
now not a rare occurrence for the “Venus” to be tied up at 
the foot of Liberty Street unloading sawed lumber for houses 
or brick for chimneys. 

In 1880, I. D. Hart buiit what was then considered a very 
large two-story boarding house at the northwest corner of 
Bay and Market Streets’ (and this was continuously a board- 
ing house or hotel site for more than 70 years). Hart’s inn 
furnished accommodations for people who desired to spend 
the winter here. The sons and relatives of weaithy men in 
the North came during the winter months and the climate 
helped them; they went back home greatly benefited, carry- 
ing an enthusiasm that is easily communicated to others. 
So the healthfulness of the locality was established—the 
greatest asset in the upbuilding of a place and the greatest 
advertisement it could have. People continued to come. 
Some stayed and entered into business; some settled in the 
surrounding localities. In 1830, it is estimated that the 


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70 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


population of Jacksonville was about one hundred. I. D. 
Hart now had his turn with L. Z. Hogans with respect to “I 
told you so”. 

The settlement on the St. Johns was approaching the 
stage when its citizens wished to incorporate and have a 
bona-fide town government. It was soon accomplished. Act 
No. 70 of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida, 
Session of 1832, was Jacksonville’s first charter. This char- 
ter is worthy of careful reading, for it gives an insight into 
the conditions of the time, either existing or expectant. The 
charter follows in full. 


Jacksonville’s First Charter, 1832 


Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Governor and the Legislative Council 
of the Territory of Florida, That all the free white male inhabitants 
of the age of twenty-one years and over, comprehended within a line 
commencing at a point on the South bank of the river St. Johns, oppo- 
site Hogan’s creek, on the north side, running north half a mile up said 
creek, thence west one mile and a half to McCoy’s creek, thence south 
to a point on the south side of the river St. Johns, opposite to McCoy’s 
creek, thence east to the point of beginning and their successors be, 
and are hereby declared to be a body politic and corporate, by the 
name and style of the Town of Jacksonville, with all the rights, lib- 
erties, privileges, powers, and authorities incident to and appertaining 
to a corporation, body politic, or a natural person; and by the said 
name and style may sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, hold, 
possess, and enjoy real estate and personal property; and dispose of 
and transfer the same, and so dispose of and manage the funds of said 
city, as shall be most beneficial to the interests thereof. 

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted that the government of said town, 
shall be vested in a person to be called a mayor, and four aldermen 
to compose a council for the management of the affairs of the town. 
The Mayor and aldermen shall be elected annually, on the first Monday 
of April, from among such of the qualified voters of said town hereby 
incorporated, as shall have resided within the limits thereof at least 
one month, and shall be housekeepers therein. 

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the said Council shall have the 
power and authority to pass all laws and ordinances, that may be 
necessary and expedient for the good government of said town, and 
the preservation of the public morals; Provided, that they are not 
inconsistent with the constitution and laws of the United States, and 
the power hereby granted, Provided no law or ordinance in this respect, 
shall be inconsistent with any law of this Territory—They shall espe- 
cially have power to regulate, improve, alter, and extend the streets, 
lanes, avenues, and public squares, and to open new streets, and to 
cause encroachments, obstructions, decayed buildings, and old ruins 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 1 


to be removed; making the parties injured by any improvement, a 
just compensation, and charging upon those benefited a reasonable 
assessment, to be ascertained in such manner, as shall be agreed upon 
by the parties, or by a jury of twelve men, to be organized in such 
manner, as, by ordinance, the said council may provide; They shall 
have power to prevent and abate nuisances, to order and compel the 
owners or occupants of lots, upon which pools of water are, or are 
likely to accumulate, to fill them up, to regulate and compel persons by 
ordinances or otherwise, to erect and keep in repair partition fences; 
and may pass all laws and ordinances that may be necessary to pre- 
serve the public health—They shall have authority to guard against 
the introduction of infectious or malignant diseases, and for this pur- 
pose, may prohibit or regulate the ingress, or approach of vessels into 
the waters within the limits of said corporation, and whenever neces- 
sary, may compel them under fixed and certain penalties to perform 
quarantine, and observe such other rules and regulations, as to the 
said Council may seem proper by ordinance to establish. They may 
construct wharves, keys, and docks, and regulate wharfage, dockage, 
and mooring and anchoring vessels, erect bridges and ferries and 
establish the rates of ferriage and tolls; They may erect all necessary 
public buildings, and dispose of the same as the interests of the town 
may require; and make and sink wells, erect pumps, dry drains, and 
do and perform all such other act or acts, as shall seem necessary, and 
be best adapted to the improvement and general interests of the 
town, and pass all necessary laws to guard against fires, and to ensure 
the sweeping of chimneys; they may establish and regulate markets, 
and require all persons bringing fresh provisions into the town, to 
exhibit them for sale at proper market hours, establish and regulate 
the weight and assize of bread, the inspection of provisions and other 
produce, being the growth or manufacture of the Territory, that may 
be brought in said town for sale, or which may be sent from it; the 
gauging of liquors, the measuring or weighing of any articles of pro- 
duce or merchandise, and the storing of gunpowder; and all naval and 
military stores, not the property of the United States. They shall 
have the power to tax auctioneers, and license and tax retailers of 
goods, and liquors, hawkers, peddlers, tavern and public boarding house 
keepers, hackney carriages, carts and drays; restrain lotteries, tippling 
houses, gaming houses, houses of ill fame, and theatrical or other 
public exhibitions, suppress riots and disorderly assemblies, and may 
provide for the punishment of all persons guilty of breaches of the 
peace, within the limits of said town, by fine and imprisonment; Pro. 
vided the fine shall in no case exceed five dollars and the imprisonment 
five days. 

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the said Town-council shall 
further have the power and authority to provide by tax, or otherwise, 
a fund for the support of the poor, the infirm, the diseased and insane; 
to establish public schools and provide for their maintenance, and to 


72 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


organize patrols, and provide for the punishment of negroes and per- 
sons of color. 


Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That the said Council shall have the 
power to assess, levy, and enforce the collection of all taxes, and other 
impositions, as may be necessary for the support of the government 
of said Town, and the improvements thereof—Provided, that no higher 
rate of tax shall be levied upon real estate than one half of one per 
cent on the assessed value thereof, to be determined by assessors chosen 
in such manner as said council may provide, and the said taxes to be 
collected by distress and sale, after default shall be made in the pay- 
ment thereof, in the most convenient and least expensive way, as to 
the said mayor and aldermen shall be deemed expedient—and the said 
council shall have power further to provide for the trial of all offenses 
that may arise under the ordinance of said town, and shall enforce 
the collection of all fines and penalties that may arise as aforesaid, 
in such manner as said council by ordinance may provide. 


Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the 
mayor to see that the ordinances of the town are faithfully executed, 
recommend for appointment all necessary town officers and report 
and cause their removal, whenever by negligence or misconduct the 
interests of the town may require it—he shall preside at all meetings 
of the board, and propose such measures as he shall think important 
to the public interest, but shall only be entitled to a casting vote, and 
shall have power to convene the board whenever it may be deemed 
necessary—he shall have, possess, exercise and enjoy all the powers, 
duties and privileges and receive the same compensation as a justice 
of the peace. 


Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That the mayor and two aldermen 
shall form a quorum for the transaction of all business; they may 
compel the attendance of their absent members, under such pains and 
penalties as by the rules may be prescribed; judge of the qualification 
of members, and of the sufficiency, correctness, or regularity of election 
returns; settle their own rules of proceeding, and upon the recommen- 
dation of the mayor, appoint and remove all officers, and fix their com- 
pensation, and establish such fees as may or ought to be allowed for 
such services, as may be required of them—their meetings shall be 
public, and they shall cause a journal of their proceedings to be kept 
and regularly authenticated by the signatures of the mayor and clerk, 
which shall be kept open for the inspection of all who may be inter- 
ested in the proceedings of said council: The ayes and noes upon any 
question, shall be entered upon their journals upon a call of any two 
members—they shall make public all their ordinances and resolutions, 
before they shall have force and efficacy, by posting written copies 
thereof in two or more public places in said town. 

Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That all white male inhabitants of 
the age of twenty one years and over, who shall have resided within 
the said town, at last one month immediately preceding the day of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 73 


election, shall be entitled to vote for mayor and aldermen, they being 
citizens of the United States—All votes shall be given by ballot. 

Sec. 9. Be it further enacted, That the elections shall be conducted 
by three inspectors, to be appointed at least two weeks before the day 
of election, by the mayor; the said mayor shall also appoint the place 
of holding the said election, and give public notice thereof for the like 
period of time. 

Sec. 10. Be it further enacted, That the said inspectors shall be 
judges of the qualifications of voters; and it shall be the duty of them, 
or any two of them, on the day appointed by law for holding the elec- 
tions, to open the poll for the reception of votes, and to cause the names 
of voters to be recorded in a book to be kept for that purpose, which 
shall be deposited at the close of election amongst the archives of the 
corporation; the polls shall open at nine o’clock in the morning, and 
close at five o’clock in the afternoon, after which the inspectors shall 
proceed to count the votes, and declare the persons elected, as mayor 
and aldermen, and make out a written certificate thereof, at the foot 
of the poll list, and deliver a copy to the mayor elect, who, upon receipt 
thereof, shall signify his acceptance or refusal. 

Sec. 11. Be it further enacted, That if the said mayor elect shall 
signify his acceptance of said office, the former mayor shall as soon 
as practicable, at any time within five days, assemble the board, and 
in their presence, administer to him the following oath: “I, A. B. do 
solemnly swear, or affirm, that I will to the utmost of my power sup- 
port, advance and defend the interests, peace and good order of the 
town of Jacksonville, and faithfully discharge the duties of mayor of 
said Town, during my continuance in office; and I do further swear, 
that I will support the Constitution of the United States”; and the 
Mayor elect, upon being thus qualified, shall then administer the like 
oath to the aldermen elect, and thereupon the duties of the former 
board shall cease. 

Sec. 12. Be it further enacted, That if the Mayor elect, or any of 
the Aldermen, shall decline to accept the office to which he or they 
may have been elected, or if accepting any or either of them, shall not 
qualify, by taking the prescribed oaths, within five days, that then 
the Mayor in office, or any person exercising the duties thereof, shall 
by proclamation, direct an election to be held for supplying such seats 
in the board as may be vacant, giving at least one week’s notice there- 
of, designating at the same time, the persons appointed to superintend 
and conduct said election. 

Sec. 13. Be it further enacted, That if the office of Mayor, or any 
Alderman, shall at any time become vacant, by death, resignation, 
removal, or otherwise, it shall be the duty of the Mayor, or the person 
exercising the duties of mayor, agreeably to this act, in like manner 
as is provided in the preceding section, to order a new election to fill 
such vacancy or vacancies. 

Sec. 14. Be it further enacted, That Isaiah D. Hart, John L. Dog- 
gett, and Henry H. Burritt, be and they, or any two of them, are 


74 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


hereby appointed inspectors to superintend the election for Mayor and 
Councilmen, on the first Monday in April, 1882: Provided, that nothing 
hereby enacted shall be construed to exclude the legislature of this 
Territory from the right to repeal, alter, or modify this act as it may 
deem proper. . 
Passed Feb. 9, 1832. 
Approved Feb, 11, 1832. 


The town limits were greatly enlarged by the charter. 
Jacksonville now embraced the territory between Hogans 
and McCoys Creeks south of about Church Street. The elec- 
tion was held in accordance with the provisions of the char- 
ter and William J. Mills was elected mayor; he was therefore 
the first mayor of Jacksonville. 

Jacksonville was the ninth town incorporated in Florida. 
Those previously chartered were: St. Augustine, Pensacola, 
Fernandina, Key West, Quincy, Magnolia, Apalachicola, and 
Ochesee.? 


1832-1835 


During the period between the incorporation of Jackson- 
ville (18382) and the outbreak of the Seminole war (1835) 
the village increased in population, almost doubling in size. 
In 1834 plans were laid for a railroad from Jacksonville to 
Tallahassee, later to be extended to the gulf coast. The 
company organized as the Florida Peninsular & Jacksonville 
Railroad Company, and among the directors were J. B. Lan- 
caster, I. D. Hart, W. J. Mills, F. Bethune, and Stephen Eddy 
all of Jacksonville. The capital was limited to $1,000,000,¢ a 
sum almost unheard of in that day, yet these men were in 
earnest about the matter. 

In 1835, the Bank of Jacksonville was incorporated with 
a capital of $75,000, though it did not open until 1837. 

In January, 1835, Lorenzo Currier, of Boston, published 
the first issue of the Jacksonville Courier, an ably edited 
weekly newspaper.¢ 

There is a record that S. L. Burritt & Co. embarked 
about this time in a wholesale trade with Cuba and thereby 
laid the foundation for Jacksonville’s claim to the wholesale 
distributing center of Florida. They shipped lumber, bar- 
relled fish and other goods to Cuba and brought back sugar, 
coffee, rum, molasses, salt, cigars, fruit, etc. This firm 
brought in on one occasion a vessel load of sugar, the first 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 75 


cargo of sugar ever brought here, and greatly overstocked 
the market in all this part of the country.* 

Jacksonville in 1835 was probably a place of 250 people, 
far too small in itself to warrant the establishment of a bank 
and a newspaper, or even to think about building a million 
dollar railroad; but settled all around, both up and down the 
river, were men wealthy for that day, who transacted their 
commercial and legal business here, and it was their support 
as well as the progressive spirit of the citizens of Jackson- 
ville that inspired these important measures. They were 
drawn into the whirl of enthusiasm and speculation that was 
sweeping the country about that time and which ended in 
the panic of 1837-40. 


Great Freeze of 1835 


February 8, 1835, was the coldest day ever known, before 
or since, in this section. At 8 o’clock that morning the ther- 
mometer stood at 8 degrees above zero, Fahrenheit, and the 
actual minimum was undoubtedly lower. Along the river 
bank the water was frozen several rods from the shore and 
afforded the inhabitants a spectacle as new as it was dis- 
tressing. Fruit trees of every description were destroyed, 
roots and all, and even some of the forest trees were killed 
by the cold. This freeze is the basis for all subsequent com- 
parisons. 


BW is Bibliography, Chapter VI 

aWebb’s History of Florida; bActs of Territorial Council; cJacksonville Tri-weskly 
Sun, Feb. 19, 1876; dCopies are still in existence; eRecords in possession of Weather 
Bureau. 


76 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER VII 
THE SEMINOLE WAR PERIOD: 


*Gradually the Seminoles were driven southward in advance 
of the white man as settlement in the peninsula of Florida in- 
creased. Finally the desire arose to get rid of the Seminoles 
altogether and they were enticed into an agreement to emi- 
grate to the West and occupy lands in what is now Indian Ter- 
ritory. Some of the chiefs, among them the famous Osceola, 
did not enter into this agreement to emigrate, and when the 
time came for them to go they refused. The attempt to force 
the removal brought on the Seminole war, which developed into 


the longest and most disastrous Indian war in the history of 
the United States. 


In the summer of 1835, it was known that the Indians 
were on the verge of outbreak, but every one thought the 
war would be of short duration and after a few skirmishes 
the Indians would be so badly punished they would be glad 
to emigrate to the West. A prolonged war was simply out 
of the question from the view-point of the whites. Planters 
went about their farm operations as usual and trade with 
the interior continued unabated. In the fall there were 
ominous mutterings of coming trouble, still the popular 
belief was that it would not last long. Short-time volunteers 
were called for to frighten the Indians into agreeing to emi- 
grate. 

The war opened December 29, 1835, when Osceola and 
twenty followers shot and killed General Wiley Thompson 
and others at Fort King, now Ocala, and Major Dade’s com- 
mand was massacred in Sumter County, near the present 
town of Bushnell, two separate events on the same day. The 
news of these disasters spread through the country like wild- 
fire. People everywhere in the interior abandoned their 
homes and collected in the towns for protection. Many of 
them came to Black Creek and on to Jacksonville. Trade 
with the interior gradually ceased, and although it was ex- 
pected that hostilities would be confined to the middle portion 
of the peninsula, the stoppage of trade with the interior, a 
large portion of which was handled through Jacksonville, 
was perceptibly felt in business circles here. 


— 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONV ILLE, FLORIDA 77 
The Block House 


The Governor of Florida issued a proclamation to the 
people advising them to build block houses in every com- 
munity, as a means of protection against the Indians. One 
was built in Jacksonville, probably in 1836, at the northeast 
corner of Ocean and Monroe Streets. This structure was one 
of the famous buildings here and is mentioned in nearly 
every account of the early town. It was a structure of logs— 
a large square room raised high above the ground on a 
pedestal-like base. It was entered through a door in the 
floor, by means of aladder. In the event of attack, the ladder 
could be drawn up and the opening closed. Portholes were 
provided on all sides, and also in the floor, through which to 
shoot. The object of the overhanging construction was to 
prevent its being set on fire, since in trying to fire the house 
an Indian could be shot from overhead. The block house 
stood at what was then the frontier of the town. All north 
and west of it was barren waste. Every rumor of Indians in 
this section caused the timid residents to seek its protection 
at dark. Sentries did guard duty at night and “many an 
amusing scene could they relate, caused by the electric imag- 
ination of the weak-nerved when it came their turn to go on 
post’. During its fifteen years of existence the block house 
served the community well, first as a fort and then as a place 
for holding religious services. 

Jacksonville was a supply depot during the war, sub- 
commissary to the chief post at Middleburg. The govern- 
ment built a long one-story wooden building on the south side 
of Bay Street, between Main and Laura, near Laura, as a 
storage for supplies. This was popularly called the “‘govern- 
ment building’. It was built high above the marsh—for that 
region was then nothing more than marsh land, and along 
the Bay Street side a raised sidewalk furnished an entrance. 
This building stood for many years. 


Attacks by the Indians 


In the summer of 1836, roving bands of Indians attacked 
and destroyed several plantations along the lower St. Johns, 
among them those of Colonel Hallowes and Mr. Travers. 
They also appeared here and there in Western Florida, be- 
tween the Suwanee River and Tallahassee. The settlements 
in the Black Creek country and on the east side of the St. 


78 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Johns above Jacksonville had, many of them, been broken 
up, although a few planters who had been kind to the Semi-’ 
noles, remained on their farms and were never molested. 

On September 15, 1836, a band of Indians attacked the 
house of a Mr. Higginbotham seven miles west of Jackson- 
ville, but they were driven off by members of the household, 
who barricaded themselves in the house and fired at the 
Indians. After the Indians left, Mr. Higginbotham rode 
post-haste to Jacksonville to give the alarm, and Major Hart 
and twelve men immediately went in pursuit. Major Hart’s 
party found all well at the Higginbotham home and pushed 
on down the trail toward the Tallahassee road. When they 
reached the Fleming Johns farm they found the house a heap 
of smoking ruins in which were the charred remains of Mr. 
Johns. Several miles farther on, at Mr. Sparkman’s, they 
found Mrs. Johns, severely wounded, but still alive. Mr. and 
Mrs. Johns were attacked at 10 o’clock in the forenoon, while 
they were in the yard of their home, and although Mr. Johns 
was shot through the chest, both he and his wife managed 
to reach the house and close the door. The Indians broke 
open the door and shot Mr. Johns dead. They dragged his 
wife to the door and told her to go, but at that moment an 
Indian shot her through the arm and neck. She fell through 
the doorway, but they dragged her back into the house and 
- with a large butcher knife scalped her. They then plundered 
the house and set fire to it. Mrs. Johns, though greatly 
weakened from loss of blood, managed to crawl out of the 
burning house after the Indians left. Fainting from weak- 
ness at frequent intervals, she at last reached a nearby 
swamp, got some water, and lay down to die. Here searchers 
found her at 2 p.m. They took her on a horse and conveyed 
her to a neighbor’s, Mr. Sparkman’s, several miles away. 
She was later removed to Jacksonville and placed in a com- 
fortable boarding house, where medical attendance and 
humane attention soon relieved her of much of her physical 
suffering and she finally recovered.¢ 

An Englishman persuaded Mrs. Johns to go to Washing- 
ton to apply for a pension. Her likeness was taken and hung 
in the capitol. She was afterward exhibited, but the Eng- 
lishman ran off with the money. Mrs. Johns then returned 
to Savannah where she married a man named Mathas. Some 
years later Mathas was stabbed by a crazy man and died in 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 79 


Savannah. Mrs. Mathas returned to Florida and died here 
in 1874.¢ 

The year 1836 closed with the Indians holding their own 
everywhere. They overran the country, killing express 
riders, attacking wagon trains, and burning farm houses, and 
as a result no operations, except those of a military nature, 
were carried on in the country districts. The comparatively 
extensive trade that Jacksonville had enjoyed with the in- 
terior was entirely destroyed, and on account of the public 
unrest such enterprises as were contemplated were aban- 
doned. Instead of being.a small affair that would terminate 
with a display of force and a few volleys from the troops, 
the war wore on for seven years. As time went by, however, 
the field of operations receded from this section and went 
farther and farther southward. . 


Panic of 1837 


In 1880, there began an era of extravagant speculation 
and reckless enterprise in the United States. Population 
was increasing and production was increasing even faster 
than population. As the means of communication between 
producer and consumer were decidedly inadequate, a uni- 
versal need was felt for transportation facilities that would 
insure quick delivery at moderate prices. The popular de- 
mand for railroad and canal construction became so great 
that conservatism and good judgment were swept aside. 
States, cities, and towns all over the country were drawn 
into the whirl of enthusiasm, and many of them made large 
bond issues to carry on the work of construction. Naturally 
business in all lines became inflated, and when such is the 
case a crisis is inevitable. An over production in the cotton 
crop of 1836 caused a drop in prices and hastened the panic 
that had its beginning in 1837. During the hard times that 
followed many of the States had to resort to extraordinary 
measures to pay the interest on their debts, and some actually 
repudiated their debts and refused to pay. The States had 
issued bonds in the aid of the construction of railroads and 
canals, and in the South especially subscribed to bank stock 
for the purchase of which they also issued bonds. There- 
fore, many bank failures occurred when the crash came.¢ 
Florida had a better excuse for repudiating her debts than 
the other States, as the disastrous Indian war, which was 


80 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


still going on, had cleaned out her treasury. Jacksonville 
had experienced the inflation and she was feeling the result. 
The ambitious enterprises that had been planned were aban- 


doned. 

There was, though, another side to it for Jacksonville. 
Besides the army officers and troops that came to the State, 
the war drew many people here, desirable citizens and adven- 
turers alike, for there is something about a new country like 
Florida was at that time, that lures people. The adventurers 
did not settle and left when peace was at last restored, while 
a number of good people stayed and made this their perma- 
nent home. The effects of the panic gradually wore away and 
the zone of hostilities receded until the town returned to 
almost normal business conditions, despite the fact that rov- 
ing bands of Indians still made an occasional attack upon 
some outlying settlement. Trade with nearby points was 
resumed and gradually extended to the interior. 

Some light is thrown upon the conditions in this section 
in letters from Mandarin about this period; the following 
are excerpts :/ 


Mandarin, March 13, 1839. 

* * * But 1 must broach the all absorbing, all exciting theme—the 
mulberry. I thought when at New York I had made a good contract, 
but it has proved far otherwise, for | found much to my surprise that 
the fever was raging higher here than at Hartford or New York, for 
not only had some of the mulberry planters returned from travelling 
at the North, but several Northern men had come here to buy mulberry 
and plant here to avail themselves of our climate; so instead of finding 
plenty of opportunities for buying cheap, as I had every reason to 
expect, I found only buyers riding through the country in search of it. 
This was a double disappointment, for in the first place I had formed 
a plan * * * to purchase up all the mulberry in my neighborhood as 
soon as I arrived and with my own take it to New York and make quite 
a speculation with it * * *. I have barely time to say that I have sold 
what I could spare and reserved enough to make a great number this 
season, but such was my fear that something might occur to reduce 
the price * * * that I sold them too soon and did not get more than 
half as much as I might soon after, for such is the rage for planting 
that they have risen to the enormous price of 8 cents an eye for cut- 
tings. The Davenports have shipped a great quantity. One lot of 
trees at St. Augustine sold for $50,000. 

Mandarin, July 10, 1840. 


** * The unaccountable or rather abominable circumstances of the 
war, keeping me out of the possession of my place and the total failure 
of the mulberry market, deprives me of all resources for the present. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 81 


* * * Neither can I do anything at improving my orange grove without 
exposing myself to danger, for Indians are bolder than ever. They have 
dispersed themselves into small parties and prowl about like wild 
beasts. They have committed murders near us upon the public roads 
that have been travelled in safety until this season and the prospect 
never has been darker than the present for its termination. There is 
no way to account for this state of things, but by the political condition 
of our country, being on the eve of a presidential election. * * * 
(Near) Mandarin, Jan’y. 1, 1842. 

** * You will doubtless think I had some cause for melancholy 
refiections when I tell you that I was but little better than a guard for 
protection—the Indians came into the very neighborhood of Mandarin, 
murdered one family and plundered and burnt out three, and that I 
had just gotten settled at my place again after spending 2 or 3 months’ 
time and some money. This is the third time I have been obliged to 
abandon my place and sacrifice time, money, and everything but my 
life. * * * In all former wars with the Indians they never were known 
to come into Mandarin settlement before. And during this war of 
more than six years they never have come nearer than Julington Creek 
{to my neighbor, Mott, adjoining me); therefore at this late period 
when this part of the country had been so long quiet the inhabitants of 
Mandarin thought no more of Indians than if there were none in the 
Territory, but now their fears are as great or greater than at any time 
since the war broke out. It had been long reported and was generally 
believed that the troops had gotten almost all the Indians out of the 
Territory and that the war would soon be terminated. But alas! we 
have just experienced another cruel disappointment and there is no 
more security or prospect for its termination than at its commence- 
ment. * * * JI have barely room to say that the creeping, skulking 
Indians never would have ventured into Mandarin settlement but that 
there are no troops within 100 miles (20 or 30 except); they were all 
taken south in pursuit of Sam Jones and his warriors. I hear that 
troops are on their way to be stationed near us for our protection. If 
so I may return to my place, for all that return to reoccupy their places 
are now furnished with provisions till the next crop season. * * * 


Bibliography, Chapter VII 
aSee histories of Sprague, Williams, and Coe in relation to the Seminole war; 
bHistory of Florida, Webb; cTerritory of Florida, Williams; dNewspaper account 
written by nephew of Mrs. Mathas; eInternational Encyclopedia, see ‘‘Crisis’’, ‘‘“Repu- 
diation,” etc. ; {Letters of J. P. Belknap in possession of M. A. Brown of Jacksonville. 


82 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 
CHAPTER VIII 
IN THE FORTIES 


With the ending of the Seminole war and the recovery of 
the country from the hard times following the panic Jack- 
sonville’s growth became more pronounced. In 1842 the 
population was 450 and in 1847 it was 750,° an increase in 
five years of 67%. Though much smaller in population than 
St. Augustine, Jacksonville had by this time come to be con- 
sidered the most important town in East Florida, on account 
of its location with respect to marketing the principal reve- 
nue-producing commodity of the time—cotton. Cotton was 
grown extensively on the plantations of this section and it 
was brought to Jacksonville and shipped from this point by 
sailing vessel. A considerable amount of timber was also 
shipped from here.? Thus Jacksonville grew to be the trad- 
ing point for a large surrounding territory. Steamer com- 
munication with Savannah was more or less regular on a 
weekly schedule bringing the mail, and a steamboat made 
weekly trips up the river as far as Enterprise. These boats 
were small, but they marked the beginning of a most impor- 
tant transportation facility for Jacksonville, which later on 
contributed largely to its growth. 


Local Conditions in the Early 1840’s 


The dwellings here were mostly one story wooden struc- 
tures of rough boards as there were no planing mills then. 
Many of them were unplastered. Stoves had not come into 
use; the fireplace was the only means of heating and this 
was looked upon as a luxury for the well-to-do. The stores 
were rough buildings with rude fittings. The ordinary neces- 
sities could be purchased in the town; most of the stores car- 
ried general stocks, and from the rear of many of them came 
that unmistakable odor that permeates the air where whis- 
key kegs are kept. The stores usually closed at dusk; the 
stillness of the town at night after 9 o’clock, the curfew hour, 
signified that Jacksonville had gone to bed.? 

There was an event known to have occurred in the early 
1840’s that must have shaken the community with excite- 
ment. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 83 


The Pelot-Babcock Duel 


This was a fatal duel between two citizens that had been 
the best of friends. They had been drinking and during a 
game of billiards a controversy arose and the lie was passed. 
In that day to call a man a liar was equivalent to a challenge, 
and this case was not an exception. The principals were Dr. 
Pelot and Mr. Babcock, both residents of Jacksonville. Rifles 
were agreed upon as the weapons, the duel to be fought at 
100 paces. Amelia Island was chosen as the place. For ten 
days the principals practiced for the affair. They met at the 
appointed time and place. The day was raw and very cold. 
The paces were stepped off and each principal received his 
instructions. At the word both fired simultaneously. Pelot 
fell, shot through the stomach, the ball severing the spine; 
he died shortly afterward. Dr. Henry D. Holland of Jack- 
sonville was Dr. Pelot’s second. Babcock went to New Or- 
leans where, in utter grief, he drank himself to death. 

*The code of ethics under which men lived in those days 
was undoubtedly wrong in some respects, but certainly not in 

all. Much of it was founded upon the principle of morality in 

the truest sense. It was an honor system backed by public sen- 

timent, without which no law is effective. Drinking was their 

sin. 


This incident in the life of the early town was of the 
nature to be perpetuated in the memory of the citizens, and 
the succeeding generation became familiar with the circum- 
stances through hearsay. The account here given was writ- 
ten by a citizen of Jacksonville at the time. 


First Bulkhead 


During a gale in October; 1846, the water from the river 
was backed up by the wind until it reached across Forsyth 
Street; water stood in the stores on Bay Street two feet deep. 
The brig ‘Virginia’, owned by Capt. Willey, dragged her 
anchors and was driven from the foot of Market Street into 
Ocean Street, her bowsprit extending across Bay. This led 
two years later to the bulkheading and straightening of the 
river front from Ocean to what is now Main Street. Hewn 
logs were laid one upon the other and fastened together by 
staples and chains. It was called a “buttment” and served 
the purpose for a long time./ 


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86 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Newspapers and Politics 


With the exception of 1841-2, Jacksonville had a weekly 
newspaper during nearly all of this period, and after 1848, 
there were two here. In the winter of 1842-3, George M. 
Grouard, of Washington, D. C., established the Tropical 
Plant; he published the paper until 1845. I. D. Hart, who 
was running for (probably a State) office at the time, started 
what he called the “Florida Whig and People’s Advocate” 
in the interest of his candidacy—he was a Whig. This paper 
became defunct in about 30 days. In the fall of 1845, the 
News was moved from St. Augustine to Jacksonville and 
published by A. C. Gillett and A. B. Hazzard; it was Demo- 
cratic in politics. In 1848, the Florida Republican was estab- 
lished with Columbus Drew as editor. At this time national 
politics and policies were undergoing an upheaval and the 
two local papers were frequently engaged in a spicy news- 
paper war in the interest of their respective parties. They 
did not print much local news and often used a considerable 
amount of “clipped” matter; yet it is remarkable that Jack- 
sonville with a population less than a thousand should offer 
inducements for the support of two good newspapers. 


First Epidemic 


In 1849, an epidemic of what was called “Broken-bone 
Fever” started in Jacksonville. It was so general that in 
many families all members of the household were sick at the 
same time. Fortunately the epidemic was of short duration 
and no deaths occurred as a result of the visitation. This 
was probably a mild form of what is now called dengue. 

Jacksonville passed through this period 1840-1850 with- 
out any serious set-backs to its growth and advanced its 
position from a village to that of a small town. In the latter 
half of the decade the timber business began to come forward 
as a large industry, which developed into a relatively enor- 
mous lumber business in the 1850’s.f 


Bibliegraphy, Chapter VIII 
aColumbus Drew ; bNewspapers of the period; cFlorida Union, March, 1881; dIndl- 
eated in early accounts; eH. S. Farrar; /‘‘Kecollections.” 








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Between Duval and Church Streets near Pine (now Main) was a pond where the sports- 
men of Jacksonville used to shoot ducks. The drainage was down Pine Street to the river, 
and south of Adams Street was a quagmire. Wooden bridges were built across Pine Street 


at Forsyth and at Bay. 


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| The business district was Bay Street between Newnan and Ocean. It was a pastime to 
stand in the rear doors of the stores on the south side of Bay Street and practice marks- 
manship with rifle and pistol upon the alligators that came out to sun themselves on the 
banks of the St. Johns. 


—_ 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 87 


CHAPTER IX 
JACKSONVILLE IN THE EARLY FIFTIES 


The built-up portion of the town was bounded by Wash- 
ington Street on the east, Laura on the west, Duval on the 
north, and the river on the south. 


Bay Street, South Side 


There were neither wharves nor stores on the south side 
of Bay Street between Ocean and Laura, except a long one- 
story, wooden building near Laura, called the “government 
building’, built by the United States government during the 
Seminole Indian war as a commissary for supplies. Just 
west of Pine (Main), on the river front stood a saw mill 
operated by J. B. Barbee. Fire destroyed it at an early date, 
consuming with it a human being, one of the sorrowful events 
of those early times. 

Across Ocean Street on the south side of Bay, east, 
Thomas Ledwith had a store and a wharf; he was succeeded 
by Alsop & Bours. Several other stores occupied this block, 
among them Gunby & Fernandez, later Fernandez & Bisbee, 
and later still Bisbee & Canova. East of this store was that 
of S. N. Williams, and near the corner of Newnan was Mc- 
Rory’s book store. The first brick building built in Jackson- 
ville adjoined the Ledwith store and was occupied by C. D. 
Oak, jeweler and watchmaker; this was about 1850. 

A building stood on the southeast corner of Newnan and 
Bay and was occupied from the earliest times, by different 
parties. Finegan & Belchasse are among the first recalled; 
later Dr. T. Hartridge. Next to this store was that of Bel- 
lows; then Santo. Next to Santo was Morris Keil, a small 
store, tailoring done by husband and the store kept by the 
wife. Captain Charles Willey had a dwelling on the corner 
of Market, and a wharf from which he ran a line of sailing 
vessels to Charleston and another to Key West. These names 
are remembered in connection with this dwelling: Mrs. Libby, 
mother of Mrs. Willey; Frances Yale, daughter of Captain 
Willey. Afterward Columbus Drew, Sr., occupied this house 
and issued from here a Whig paper called the “Republican”. 


88 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


At the foot of Market Street a fish market stood over the 
water. This was the first market in the town. 

East of Market Street the entire block was vacant. At 
the foot of Liberty Street there was a ferry to cross the river, 
operated to connect with the road to St. Augustine. A gar- 
rison was kept at Fort Marion at that time and cattle 
were forded at this ferry and driven to St. Augustine to fur- 
nish beef for the soldiers. Lighters conveyed passengers, 
vehicles, and freight across. 

The block east of Liberty Street contained a fine grove 
of trees. Public, out-of-door functions, such as barbecues, 
Fourth of July celebrations, etc., were generally held here. 
There was only one small building on the block—a carpenter’s 
shop near the water’s edge. 

East of Washington Street, the river bank was very much 
higher, affording a steep sand hill that the children of the 
neighborhood used as an amusement place, rolling and jump- 
ing in the soft, white sand. Beyond this hill E. A. DeCottes 
had a dwelling, and on the corner of Bay and Catherine, 
Stephen Vandergrift and family lived. 

The next block was vacant, except a small machine shop 
near the middle of the block. John Clark’s sawmill was near 
Hogans Creek. Finegan’s sawmill was on the river front on 
the east side of the creek, and his family resided there, in- 
cluding Constantia, Dora, and Martha Travis, daughters of 
Mrs. Finegan by a former marriage. 


Bay Street, North Side 


On the north side of Bay Street, westward from Hogans 
Creek to Catherine Street was a corn field until the early 
1850’s, when a grist mill was built near the creek. From 
Catherine to Washington was unoccupied until Tony Canova 
built a residence at the northeast corner of Washington. 

At the northwest corner of Washington Street stood the 
Merrick House, famous as the “haunted house’. Peculiar 
noises were often heard within, yet no ghosts appeared. 
Some of the less superstitious said there was an underground 
river at that point that caused the noises. All was vacant 
thence to Liberty Street until 1851 or 1852, when J. C. Hem- 
ming built a residence on the northeast corner of Liberty. 

A store house stood on the northwest corner of Bay and 
Liberty Streets, used for storing freight awaiting ferriage 


are ea "ky 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 89 


across the river, and later as a school house. The Burritt 
homestead stood near the northeast corner of Bay and Mar- 
ket, and it was the most pretentious house in the town. 
There were large grounds, with stables, servants’ quarters, 
and Mr. Burritt’s law offices. The vacant lot on the river 
front, also Burritt property, abounding in shrubbery and 
shade trees, gave beautiful surroundings. 

At the northwest corner of Bay and Market Streets, I. D. 
Hart owned a boarding house, which was kept successively 
by Mrs. Hatch, Mrs. Flotard, Mrs. Maxey, and Mrs. Taylor, 
the ownership passing to Mrs. Taylor’s daughter, Mrs. Hed- 
rick, in 1853. West of this building was inclosed, but unoc- 
cupied—owned by Mrs. Philip Frazer, inherited from her 
first husband, Captain Zeb Willey. Dr. Byrne built two 
stores between this inclosure and the corner, probably in 
1852. 

Across Newnan Street, the entire block to Ocean was 
occupied by business houses. On the northwest corner of 


Newnan and Bay, names not remembered until occupied by 


Paul Canova. Next to the corner was the firm of Miller & 
Blackwood, wines and liquors; thence west in order were: 
Dr. Foreman, general merchandise, afterward Gunby; Bar- 
nard & Farrar, general store, later Moss & Ambler, later still, 
Ambler & Hoeg; Rosenthal, the first Hebrew merchant in 
town; Goff, tailor; and on the corner of Ocean, Mr. Cutter, 
afterward Morris Keil. The three last stores were owned by 
Thomas W. Jones. 

On the northwest corner of Ocean and Bay Streets, A. M. 
Reed had a store—groceries and dry goods. West of this 
was Calvin Oak, gunsmith. From here to Pine Street was 
unoccupied, in fact Bay Street was almost impassible at this 
point. A pond of water north of Duval Street drained down- 
ward through Pine Street, making a quagmire at its lower 
end, over which bridges were built across Pine at Bay and 
at Forsyth Streets. An attempt was made to improve the 
approaches to the bridges by laying logs lengthways across 
the street; this “corduroy” construction was very rough. 

Across Pine Street Dr. Baldwin owned two lots, the corner 
being a garden very much in need of drainage. Dr. Baldwin’s 
dwelling was on the next lot; also his office. West of that was 
a dwelling occupied successively by A. M. Reed, Walter Kipp, 
Mrs. Herbert, Captain L’Engle, George Powers, and finally 


30 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


by Judge Rodney Dorman. Cyrus Bisbee owned a dwelling 
on the northeast corner of Bay and Laura, where he lived 
many years. This was the western boundary of the town 
for a long time. Later Mr. Kipp built a residence on the 
northwest corner of Bay and Laura. Captain L’Engle then 
lived close to the river across from the Kipps. 

Beyond Laura Street there was nothing more until a 
small creek was crossed where Julia Street is now. Mr. 
Boulter owned a mill and a dwelling on the west side of this 
creek; the mill was burned, and the dwelling was afterward 
occupied by Hal Sadler. Thence to McCoys Creek every- 
thing was woods. A rude bridge crossed McCoys Creek 
near the foot of the present Broad Street, and to the west 
of this bridge, on the creek was a small house occupied by 
the Curry family. Across the creek was P. Moody’s saw 
mill and dwelling, and beyond was the Lancaster place, called 
“Lancaster’s Point”. Then the plantation of Elias Jaudon, 
and across McGirts Creek, now Ortega, was the Sadler plan- 
tation. 


Forsyth Street, South Side 


At the southeast corner of Laura and Forsyth, I. D. Hart 
lived in a large two-story house. Thence to Pine Street was 
vacant, until Dr. Foreman built on the corner of Pine. 

The southeast corner of Pine and Forsyth was owned by 
the Douglas and Reed families. Stables occupied the corner, 
with a garden beyond, and a dwelling on the corner of For- 
syth and Ocean, where A. M. Reed lived, then Thomas 
Douglas. 

On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Ocean was a very 
old dwelling, known as the Mills house; it was occupied by 
different families, among others, Mrs. Bowman, and then 
J. W. Bryant. Between Forsyth and Bay, on Ocean Street, 
Thomas W. Jones and family lived on the east side of the 
street. Next to the Mills house, east on Forsyth, William 
Douglas lived as early as 1847, and afterward a Ross family. 
This yard was large and here, under a tent, a traveling 
daguerreotypist took some fine pictures. This was probably 
the first artist to come to Jacksonville. Captain Armstrong 
lived on the southwest corner of Forsyth and Newman; he 
had no family. Between Forsyth and Bay on Newnan there 
were a few small shops. On the west side were: Captain 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 91 


John Middleton, small store; Dr. Rex, an office; and Henry 
Houston, colored, barber shop. On the opposite side of the 
street was a large building used for offices. 

On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Newnan, Judge 
J.C. Cooper lived. East of this was the Zeb Willey property, 
known afterward as the Philip Frazer house. Dr. J. D. 
Mitchell bought here later. Then Mr. Harrison built on the 
southwest corner of Forsyth and Market, where the law 
exchange now stands. 

Across Market Street were S. L. Burritt’s office and 
grounds, occupying half the block. The Doggett family 
owned the other, or east half of this block, on which were 
two houses. The Doggett residence was near the southwest 
corner of Forsyth and Liberty. 

In the middle of the block between Liberty and Washing- 
ton, the Watermans lived, afterward the Hickmans, and later 
Dr. Murdock. This was one of the oldest houses in the town. 
On the southeast corner of Forsyth and Washington was 
another old house in which Mr. Adams lived, afterward Mr. 
Gillett, and later the Mooneys. For a long time nothing but 
a corn field was east of here to Hogans Creek. 


Forsyth Street, North Side 


On the north side of Forsyth Street, west from Hogans 
Creek, there was nothing to Washington Street, until Felix 
Livingston built on the northeast corner of Washington 
about 1850. 

At the northeast corner of Forsyth and Liberty Streets 
was a very old house of peculiar construction. The founda- 
tion was of stone, perhaps six feet high, and on top of this 
wall was a one-story wooden structure with a piazza on three 
sides. It was said it was the abode of a sea captain, a bucca- 
neer, who, being too old to follow the sea, amused himself 
with a spy-glass watching the river above and below. Dr. 
Theodore Hartridge built on this corner in 1853, at the same 
time building a smaller house on the northwest corner of 
Forsyth and Washington for his mother, Mrs. Hobby. 

Across Liberty Street Mr. Barbee owned and lived many 
years. The next lot was owned by John Pons, where also 
lived his son-in-law, Jack Butler, a lively jovial Irishman so 
pleasantly remembered by many. A small house west of this 
was. occupied by different ones, the first remembered being 


92 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Mrs. Herbert, a school teacher. On the northeast corner of 
Forsyth and Market stood the court house, and in the court 
house yard, back from the street, was the jail. The jail was 
inclosed by a high brick wall, on top of which was a barbette 
of broken glass. 

Across Market Street, on the northwest corner, was the 
Clerk’s Office. Next was the dwelling of Mrs. Maxey. On 
the northeast corner of Forsyth and Newnan was a small 
building used by William Grothe as a jewelry shop. The post 
office was in this building for a long time also. 

Dr. H. D. Holland’s residence was on the opposite corner, 
stables on the Forsyth Street side and his office on Newnan. 
A small house stood on the lot west of Dr. Holland’s resi- 
dence, where William Grothe lived, and next to this was a 
large two-story house occupied at different times by the 
Barnards, Crabtrees, Gregorys, Allisons, Hearns, Suttons, 
and Crespos. On the corner was a dwelling house occupied 
successively by the Kipps, Flotards, Traceys, Hallidays, and 
Sandersons. 

On the northwest corner of Forsyth and Ocean Mrs. 
Dewees lived in a large two-story house, and back of her, 
between Forsyth and Adams, her daughter, Mrs. Poinsett 
lived, afterward the Kipps, and later the Keils. There were 
no other houses on Forsyth to Pine Street. 

On the northwest corner of Forsyth and Pine was a house 
occupied by the Donaldsons, later the Thebauts. A small 
house stood in the middle of the block back from the street, 
where Jane and Dick, servants of Mrs. Douglas, lived. West 
of here was a fine grove of trees, where barbecues and cele- 
brations of different kinds were sometimes held. Near the 
northwest corner of Forsyth and the present Hogan Streets 
was the site of the old Hogans house. 


Adams Street, South Side 


Thomas W. Jones built a two-story dwelling on the south- 
east corner of Adams and Laura in 1850. In 1851, Judge F. 
Bethune moved from his plantation a few miles up the river 
and bought this house for a residence. East of this, in the 
middle of the block, was the Myers dwelling. The southwest 
corner of Adams and Pine was vacant many years. 

The Turknetts lived on the southeast corner of Adams 
and Pine. A small house, used principally as a servants’ 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 93 


house, stood on the next lot. There was nothing on the 
southwest corner until 1854. 

The southeast corner of Adams and Ocean was vacant a 
long time, the Crespos later building a boarding house at that 
point. Two houses owned by Mr. Crespo stood here; the first 
was burned. In the middle of the block were out-buildings 
used by the Buffington House, which occupied the southwest 
corner facing Newnan. 

Across Newnan, Stephen Fernandez and family lived; 
afterward Dr. R. P. Daniel. Next was the dwelling of 8S. N. 
Williams. There was nothing on the southwest corner of 
Market for many years. 

The Odd Fellows owned the southeast corner of Adams 
and Market, but the lodge building was on the inside of the 
lot facing Market. The lower story of this building was 
used as a school room, the upper story for the lodge. The 
corner was inclosed and was used by the children as a play 
ground. Thence to the southwest corner of Adams and 
Washington was vacant; here Mr. Pons built at an early 
date. There was nothing east of this to Hogans Creek. 


Adams Street, North Side 


Returning west on Adams Street there was nothing 
between Hogans Creek and the northeast corner of Market, 
where Mr. Fennimore lived. Mrs. Fennimore was the dress- 
‘maker for all the belles of that day. 

Across Market were the Flemings; next Captain William 
Ross, and on the corner of Newnan was a boarding house. 

On the northwest corner of Adams and Newnan were 
the Buffington House stables, afterward converted into a 
boarding house, called the California House. The weather- 
boarding on this building was placed up and down—an inno- 
vation at that day. Next, the Gibsons, man and wife, lived. 
An unfortunate mistake disrupted this family. A large 
boarding house in the town burned and Mr. Gibson was 
accused of setting it on fire. He was threatened with a coat 
of tar and feathers unless he left the town. He left and 
never returned. In later years it developed that a careless 
servant had placed hot ashes too near the building, causing 
it to catch on fire. Mr. Congar lived on the northeast corner 
of Ocean and Adams. 


94 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The Ledwiths lived across from the Congars, on the 
northwest corner, not quite on the corner, as that was a 
fine plum orchard. Next to the Ledwiths was a Spanish 
family by the name of Ximanes, whose income was derived 
from fishing, and the sale of mocking birds to the northern 
tourists that came here during the winter. The corner of 
Pine was not occupied, as the land was low and damp. 


Monroe Street 


Columbus Drew, Sr., was really a pioneer when he built 
his house at the corner of Monroe and Laura in 1851. East 
of this there were no buildings to the northeast corner of 
Ocean, the site of the old, block house. Here stood a large 
building used as a hotel, and conducted successively by Mrs. 
Coy, Creighton, and Mattair. In the opposite block, south 
side of Monroe Street, inside from the corner, the Presby- 
terians had a small meeting house, where weekly prayer 
meetings were held. Judge Lancaster resided on the south- 
west corner of Monroe and Market, afterwards the Hearns, 
Suttons, and Garnies. 


Duval Street 


The Episcopal church occupied its present site at the head 
of Market Street. One of the early residences was built at 
the southeast corner of Duval and Market, and was occupied 
at different times by J. W. Bryant, Judge Daniel and Judge 
Pearson. There were two other churches on Duval Street, 
one near the northeast corner of Newnan, and the other 
across the street on the northwest corner. Back of this, 
north, were the homes of the free negroes, mostly west of 
Ocean Street. These negroes occupied land belonging to 
I. D. Hart; this quarter was called ‘‘Negro Hill’. 


Bibliography, Chapter IX 
Years ago a number of the oldest residents of Jacksonville at the time used to 
meet and talk over “old times’”’ and their recollections were promptly written down by 
the Secretary. This remarkable record was preserved by Mrs. W. M. Bostwick and is 
included in this chapter. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 95 


CHAPTER X 
1850-1855 


The first attempt to beautify the town was in 1850, when 
April Saurez, an old slave, under the direction of Dr. A. 8. 
Baldwin and Gen. Thomas Ledwith planted the oaks that 
lined the streets of Jacksonville before the fire of 1901. These 
trees grew to be the pride of the city; most of them were 
destroyed in the fire of 1901. 

In 1850, the first circular sawmill ever built in East Flor- 
ida was erected at the mouth of Pottsburg Creek and in the 
following year John Clark built the second circular sawmill, 
on Kast Bay Street, near Hogans Creek. Mr. Clark then 
added a planing mill, the first in East Florida. About 1853-54 
there were five or six sawmills at Jacksonville, and as many 
more in the immediate vicinity. The lumber industry had 
grown to be the principal one here. A great quantity of live 
oak timber was exported annually, for use in the construction 
of vessels.* Considerable cotton continued to be brought here 
for shipment also, Jacksonville being the shipping point for 
quite a large territory tributary to the St. Johns River. 
These industries put into circulation much money that natu- 
rally found its way into all lines of business. Nearly all the 
merchants were well-to-do, gauged by the standard of that 
early time. Business was conducted without rancor and with 
the utmost integrity. Salaries were not what would now be 
called large, but the cost of living comfortably was within 
the reach of all—a condition having an important bearing 
upon the community. Abject poverty was a state unknown 
and seldom was a door locked or a window closed out of fear 
of petty thieving.? 


Relation Between Master and Servant 


The question of master and slave was seldom referred 
to. The master considered it his duty to protect those who 
served him, and the servant felt that he was accountable 
for his master’s social position and other responsibilities. 
The slaves were treated with a consideration and trust with- 
out a parallel at this day. The children loved their colored 
‘“mammies”, and the mammies felt that they were respon- 


96 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


sible for the obedience of the children, “manners” being held 
at a premium and duty the first consideration.’ 

The relation between master and slave differed little from 
that prevailing in other portions of the South before the 
war——a sincere and confiding affection on one side, and on 
the other a kind and considerate regulation of the simple 
lives reposed in the white owner’s care. When an entertain- 
ment was given by the colored people, it was not at all un- 
usual for the mistress to lend her jewelry to her maid for 
the occasion, showing plainly the interest taken in the pleas- 
ure of the slaves; and in sickness they were provided for and 
given the best attention. There were, of course, exceptions 
in both cases.° 

This advertisement, appearing in the Florida News, a 
local newspaper, is interesting, indicating as it does, one 
method of recovering runaway slaves: 


Twenty-five Dollars Reward. 


RUNAWAY in November last my negro woman HANNAH. She 
is about 5 ft., 7 or 8 inches high, black, no front teeth and about 40 
years of age. Hannah has a mother in Newnansville or Tallahassee 
known by the name of Mary Ann Sanchez, formerly the property of 
Roman Sanchez of Newnansville. The above reward will be given upon 
her being lodged in any jail where I can get her or upon being delivered 
to me at Palatka or Jacksonville. Louis M. Coxetter. 

Jacksonville, June 5, 1852. 

The Tallahassee papers will please copy and send their bills to 
this office. 


This same paper contained another item of interest, one 
that would indicate that the Town Council was composed of 
citizens serving for the best interest of the community: 


Proceedings of the Town Council 
Regular Meeting 
Council Chamber, August 6, 1852. 

Council Met:-—Present, His Honor, Henry D. Holland, Intendant;* 
Messrs. Buffington, Cooper, and Canova, Councilmen. 

Mr. Townsend, elected a Councilman to fill the vacancy created by 
the resignation of Wm. Alsop, appeared for the purpose of taking the 
oath of office, which was objected to by Councilman Buffington, on the 
ground of his not possessing the requisite qualifications for the per- 
formance of the duties of the office. * * * 

Attest, F. C. Barrett, Clerk. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 97 


Transportation 


Railroads and the telegraph had not yet come to Jackson- 
ville. Steam packets ran to Savannah and Charleston, and 
sailing vessels communicated with the more distant cities 
and the West Indies. It was almost as customary to taik 
about Hayti and Martinique then as it is about New York 
today.2 _ 

Communication with the interior of the State was by 
means of a stage line to Tallahassee and intermediate points. 
It was a three days’ trip, avoided as much as possible, except 
at court sessions and when the Legislature met. The Central 
Stage Line ran this advertisement in the Jacksonville paper 
during the summer of 1852: 


Central Stage Line 
From Jacksonville to Tallahassee Semi-Weekly 

The proprietor takes pleasure in announcing to the public that he 
has just placed upon the route a new and splendid FOUR HORSE 
COACH and that he is prepared to convey passengers through in the 
shortest possible time. He has relays of the best horses at different 
points, so that no more time is lost than is necessary for their change. 
The stage leaves Jacksonville every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon, 
immediately after the arrival of the steamers from Savannah and 
returns in time to connect with them on their return trips. These 
steamers connect with others at Savannah for Charleston and New York, 
thus affording the travelers from the North and others visiting Talla- 
hassee or interior towns of Florida a speedy transit. A coach connects 
with this line to and from the White Sulphur Springs in Hamilton 
County. Fernandez, Bisbee & Co., Agents. 


G. R. Fairbanks describes the stage trip as one of “‘ups 
and downs, jolts and bumps; roots lying on the surface, the 
impact with which would send the unprepared passenger up 
against the top, or with a painful jerk against the standards. 
The weary drag during the long, dark nights, for the hacks 
kept on night and day, was an experience to be long re- 
membered”. 


Smallpox Epidemic 


Jacksonville experienced an epidemic of smallpox during 
the summer of 1853. J. W. Bryant, one of the foremost 
lawyers in the town, contracted the disease at some place in 
Georgia, where he had gone on legal business. Upon his 
return, he was taken sick at the Buffington House, then the 


98 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


fashionable hotel of Jacksonville. Numerous friends visited 
him before the case was diagnosed as smallpox, and there- 
fore the epidemic started among prominent people. Those 
at the Buffington House were the first to take the disease, 
and soon afterward sporadic cases began to develop until, 
finally, the epidemic became general among both white and 
colored. It was severe and a good many deaths resulted, 
while those who recovered were in many cases badly pitted.? 


Local Conditions in the Early Fifties 


It is said that some of the merchants were extremely 
fond of playing cards, and even during business hours would 
gather for a quiet game. Should a customer appear, a sen- 
tinel placed on watch would report, ‘Mr. So-and-so, some- 
body is going in your store’, whereupon the game would be 
temporarily “called”. Whenever children or servants were 
the purchasers, the storekeeper usually gave them a small 
present, such as a sweet cracker or a piece of candy; this was 
called ‘‘coontra”’. It has been impossible to trace the deriva- 
tion of this word, but the custom doubtless originated from 
the fact that the money divisions in those days were in frac- 
tions of a cent, and the small present was given, rather than 
to consider the fractions in carrying accounts. The silver 
dollar was the standard, but it was reckoned eight bits, in- 
stead of one hundred cents. There were half bits, 614; bits, 
1214; two bits, 25 cents, and so on. If “coontra’” was not 
given to the negroes it was always asked for by them, but 
the white children were forbidden by their parents to do so, 
as it was not considered “‘good manners”’.’ 

About a third of the houses had glass windows. Stoves 
had not yet come into general use. The stores on Bay street 
had no way to heat them and when the weather was cold, 
fires were built in front in the street; here the citizens would 
collect, crack jokes, and discuss the questions of the day. 
The town maintained a small market house with one stall, 
open in the early morning. Beef sold at 4 to 8 cents and pork 
at 8 to 10 cents a pound. Fish were brought in boats to the 
shore near the market, the arrival being announced by ring- 
ing the market bell, when the people would rush down to 
purchase. Milk as a commodity was scarce. Collards and 
sweet potatoes were the vegetables usually offered for public 
sale.‘ 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 99 


There were no soda fountains in those days, and it was 
seldom that ice could be obtained. Ice was brought from the 
North in sailing vessels. Lemonade and tamarind water 
were the most popular “soft” drinks. The tamarind is a 
species of bean that grows in the West Indies, and from it a 
sticky substance exudes. The beans were put into a pitcher 
and hot water poured over them; this concoction was allowed 
to cool, when the drink was ready for use. It had a semi-acid 
taste, and was considered very healthful. Drinking water 
came from wells and cisterns. Rain water, when filtered 
through an earthen vessel called a “monkey”’, was consid- 
ered a great luxury.? 

In the spring of 1846, Captain John L’Engle bought for 
$300 the square bounded on the north by Bay Street, east by 
Laura, west by Hogan, and south by the river. In 1858, the 
northwest corner lot at Bay and Market Streets, including a 
two-story boarding house, was purchased for $2,500; and 
A. Judson Day, of Maine, bought haif the block, west half, 
between Julia and Hogan Streets from Forsyth through to 
the river for $3,0U0. A year or so later, the northeast corner 
of Bay and Ocean was soid to Ambier & Hoeg for $3,000. 
Residence lots a few blocks back from Bay Street sold for 
less than $100. Springfield was a wilderness and Riverside 
acorn field. Northwest of Hemming Park, between Forsyth 
and Church, Clay and Jefferson Streets was a dense swamp, 
where in places the water stood several feet deep. LaVilla 
was an island, owing to the course of several small streams 
that have since been filled in./ 

The building material used in Jacksonville at that time 
was mostly pitch pine, very inflammable, and as there was 
no adequate way of controlling large fires, it was but a ques- 
tion of time when the town would suffer a general conflag- 
ration. It came on April 5, 1854. 


The Great Fire of 1854 


A description of this destructive fire was published on 
the following day in an “Extra” gotten out by the Florida 
Republican, a copy of which follows, except that typograph- 
ical errors have been corrected :¥ 


100 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


FLORIDA REPUBLICAN, EXTRA. 
Jacksonville, Florida, April 6, 1854. 


GREAT AND DISASTROUS CONFLAGRATION 
Jacksonville in Ruins. 
Seventy Houses Consumed. 


Loss over $300,000. 
i'wo printing ofiices destroyed. 

Yesterday at 1 o’clock p. m., the alarm of fire was given in this 
town and in iour hours aiterwards ail the business portion of the town 
was in ruins. ‘Yhe fire originated in S. N. Williams’ hay shed, on the 
whart, communicated, as 1s supposed, by a spark from the Charleston 
steamer “riorida’. it extended with astonishing rapidity in every 
direction, spreading first aiong the biock ot stores on the south side 
of Bay street, between Newnan and Ocean streets; thence communi- 
cating with the square opposite on the north which was all consumed; 
thence with the store of A. M. Keed and the Bank agency adjoining 
on the west side of Ocean street, which were both destroyed; thence 
with the square east of Newnan street and fronting on Bay, which 
contained the large and handsome block known as byrne’s building; 
nearly the whole square being consumed; at the same time with the 
buildings on Bay street east or the point at which the fire originated, 
and ot Newnan street, which was at once swept away. 

‘This was principally the course of and the area which has been 
devastated by the devouring element. The wind was blowing strongly 
at the time, and caused the course of the fire, at first, to be to the 
westward by which several private dwellings at the extreme west end 
of the town, and several stores, Moody’s, Holmes’s, and Fairbank’s 
mills, and the new hotel of Messrs. Day, were set on fire, but extin- 
guished before any material damage was sustained. Still, the intense 
heat from the first block was so great that that of itself ignited the 
squares on the opposite side, and on the east, and the immense amount 
of goods thrown from the stores along the whole of Bay street, formed 
from the same cause an immense conflagration of spirits, oil, paints, etc. 

By this fire seventy buildings were entirely destroyed. Of these, 
twenty-three were stores, of the following persons, viz: F. Waver & 
Co., provisions; C. D. Oak, and Wm. Grothe, jewelers; S. N. Williams, 
grocer; J. P. Sanderson, dry goods and provisions; Bloodgood & Blouse, 
do; H. Timanus, do; T. Hartridge, do; J. Mode, dry goods; James Han- 
ham, grocer; Mr. Hernandez, tobacconist; C. DeWaal, auctioneer; L. 
Capella, fruit store; J. Santo, do; A. M. Reed, dry goods and provisions; 
M. Keil, do; A. B. Hussey, grocer; Mr. Moore, fruit store; J. L. Hogarth, 
tinner; Ambler & Hoeg, dry goods and provisions; J. L. Ripley, cloth- 
ing; J. C. Brown, fruit store; L. B. Amerman, dry goods; T. McMillan, 
druggist; T. G. Myers, grocer; A. C. Acosta, fruit store; J. B. Howell, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 101 


grocer; Joseph Hernandez, tailor; C. DeWaal, bakery; Geo. Flagg, 
jeweler; R. H. Darby, tailor; C. Poetting, boot and shoe maker. 

The law offices of Geo. W. Call and G. W. Hawkins and the office 
of F. C. Barrett, Notary Public, etc., in the Byrne block, were also 
destroyed, a portion only of their legal and official documents being 
saved. 

The office and warehouse of Mr. Joseph Finegan and the furniture 
store of L. M. Fulsom, destroyed. McRory’s Insurance Agency, office 
in the Sammis Block, also went by the board, together with a portion 
of his papers. The Custom-house, Mr. McIntosh’s Law office, Capt. 
Willey’s residence, J. Hanham’s store and residence, J. Mode’s store 
and elegant residence, as also the law office of P. Frazer, Esq., we note 
among other buildings destroyed. 

The two and only printing offices of the place—the Republican and 
the News, were consumed, the latter entirely, and but enough of the 
Republican material has been gleaned from the harvest of the terrible 
Reaper to furnish this Extra! We shall order new type and a press, 
however, by the mail for the north tomorrow morning, and hope to be 
“fully on our feet” again in the course of a month; and in the meantime 
shall endeavor to issue copies enough of our paper for our exchanges 
on a foolscap sheet, on an improvised press—our two iron hand presses 
being utterly wrecked. We therefore throw ourselves upon the indul- 
gence of our advertising and reading patrons “for a little while,” being 
determined not to desert the “burning ship”—being utterly opposed to 
any species of “ratting”. As we are doing advertising for merchants 
in Charleston and Savannah, we request our contemporaries in those 
cities to note our situation. 

The steamer “Florida” was lying at her wharf at the time of the 
fire, and drew off into the stream as it progressed: the “Seminole” from 
Savannah bringing the mail (the Gaston being taken off the line) had 
passed up the river. Every exertion was made by the citizens, firemen, 
and even the ladies, who were found here and there lending assistance. 
to arrest the fire, the negroes also laboring faithfully to do their utmost. 
But the fire became unmanageable, and as the intense heat extended 
itself, confusion and exhaustion rendered human exertion less efficient. 
A portion of the fire apparatus unfortunately fell into a situation which 
brought it in contact with the flames, and it was lost. 

Upon the amount of property lost, it is estimated that one-half is 
insured, some in New York and New England offices, and some in 
Georgia. The two printing offices were insured, our own for a little 
more than half its value. We lost all the printing paper, and a large 
quantity of letter, which we had on hand for jobbing. Our “set up” 
forms have run into a molten mass. 

Mr. Andres Canova was severely burnt and is disabled, and Mr. 
J. C. Hemming was severely stunned and for some time hurt, but he 
is now better. We regret also that the family of Mr. Philip Frazer, 
who were ill, were forced to remove. 


102. HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Scarlet Fever Epidemic 


This was a period of misfortune for Jacksonville, as a 
severe epidemic of scarlet fever was raging in the town when 
the fire occurred. There were two versions as to how the 
fever started here. One is that the infection was introduced 
by means of a letter written by a lady while holding a baby sick 
with scarlet fever in her lap. The other is that the nurse one 
day took little Ally Dell, daughter of Philip Dell, down to the 
boat yard and it is supposed that the child played with sailors 
from a vessel lying at the wharf and on which there was a 
case of scarlet fever. In afew days she was taken desperate- 
ly ill. Mrs. Mary Turknett nursed this child and it died in 
her lap. This was in February, 1854. The attending physi- 
cian diagnosed the case simply as one of fever, but when 
the little corpse was prepared for burial, scarlet fever symp- 
toms were noticed in the peeling skin. Mrs. Turknett 
shrouded the body, at that time wearing a black woolen skirt. 
When she returned to her home she hung the skirt up in a 
closet and did not wear it again for nearly a month. Then 
she wore it, and in a few days scarlet fever broke out in the 
family.° 

The disease spread through the town and the type was 
most malignant. Numbers of persons died, the Turknett 
family in particular being afflicted, five grown sons dying 
within a space of eight days, April 2 to 10, two of them on the 
same day and were buried from the same bier.¢ 


Yellow Fever Quarantine 


Thus twice had Jacksonville suffered from diseases intro- 
duced from outside sources, so when the yellow fever broke 
out in Savannah in the summer of 1854, the citizens deter- 
mined to keep it from coming to this place at all hazards. 
The authorities prohibited the Savannah steamers stopping 
or even passing by on their way up the river, as it was 
thought that the yellow fever might be introduced in that 
way. Captain Nick King, of the Savannah steamer, carried 
the mail, and he laughed at the proclamation of the citizens 
prohibiting the passage of steamers by Jacksonville, and 
passed by heedless of the warning. A party of citizens then 
got an old condemned cannon, took it to the river bank at the 
foot of Catherine Street, and loaded it with a 32-pound shot. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 103 


About dark the steamer hove in sight coming up the river, 
close in on the opposite side. When in line with the pointed 
cannon the gun was fired, the ball passing through the for- 
ward gang-way of the vessel. The gun was rapidly loaded 
again, this time with a 6-pound shot, and fired; the ball 
passed through the cabin, just grazing the neck of a negro 
who was in the act of lighting a lamp. When it is considered 
that the muzzle of the gun was kept in place and moved by 
a hand spike, this was spectacular shooting. The steamer 
made no more trips until the epidemic at Savannah was de- 
elared at an end,° and the determination thus displayed by 
the citizens of Jacksonville in all probability prevented the 
introduction of the fever in that year. 


Bibliography, Chapter X 
aHistory of Florida, Webb; bSee bibliography, Chapter IX; cReminiscences of an 
old citizen, Jacksonville Tri-weekly Sun, Jan. 22, Feb. 1, 1876; dO. L. Keene in Jack- 
sonville Metropolis, Dec. 12, 1908; eSee Florida Reports; fReliable data from various 
sources ; gThe author possesses a copy of the Extra; hShown on map of Jacksonville of 
1859. 


104 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XI 
1855 to 1860 


Jacksonville recovered rapidly from its reverses of 1854. 
Its people with wonderful energy set to work building better 
stores and houses in the burned area. Larger steamboats 
and tug boats for towing appeared on the river. The rail- 
road to western Florida was assured and actual work on it 
was about to begin. Travel from the State and from abroad 
increased. More interest was taken in Church and school 
attendance. Prosperity was evident everywhere; the people 
were united and anything that promised to advance the in- 
terest of the town was liberally pushed forward. A board 
of trade was formed to advertise the locality. 


Trade 


There was a large local trade in furnishing supplies to the 
mills and loggers, and there was also an extensive river and 
back-country trade. The country trade came in the well- 
known country cart, from distances of 60 miles and occasion- 
ally 100 miles, bringing in cotton, syrup and country produce 
and exchanging for goods. Trains of six-mule teams were 
maintained regularly between Alligator (Lake City) and 
Jasper and Jacksonville. Owing to the shallowness of the 
bar large schooners could not come in; the water on the bar 
at high tide was not more than 10 feet. A cargo of lumber 
of 100,000 feet was considered tremendous; yet there was an 
annual exportation of more than 25 million feet.¢ 

With a property valuation in 1856 of $400,000 Jackson- 
ville had put its calamities behind it and was looking forward 
into the future. But the end was not yet. 


Another Big Fire 


At 4:30 a.m., November 15, 1856, fire broke out in a 
wooden store on the south side of Bay Street between Pine 
(Main) and Laura, and before it stopped the entire block was 
in ashes. The volunteer fire department, with their bucket 
brigades, had a difficult time in keeping the fire from wiping 
out the new structures east of Pine Street erected since 1854. 


Ey 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 105 


Damaging Freeze 


January 19th and 20th, 1857, were the coldest days since 
1835. Temperatures of 16 and 18 degrees, respectively, were 
recorded, and ice two inches thick formed on pools and along 
the margin of the river. People were seen sliding and trying 
to skate on the ice.? 


Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1857 


In the early part of the summer of 1857, an epidemic of 
yellow fever raged at St. Marys, Ga., and from that place it 
was brought to Jacksonville in August, it was said later bv 
Nathan Vaught. Mr. Vaught’s house stood on a bluff just 
east of the intersecton of Bay and Broad Streets, and it was 
there that the epidemic started.f That locality was never 
eonsidered very healthful; McCoys Creek near-by was a 
dirty, stagnant stream, and much of the land in the vicinity 
was low, marsh land. The summer was described as hot and 
murky, with frequent rains and much decaying vegetable 
matter. It is a noted fact that three crops of weeds grew 
during the season, and some people tried to connect this un- 
usual circumstance with the spread of the fever.* In these 
surroundings the disease gained a foot-hold. The McFalls 
lived near the Vaughts and soon took the fever; then it 
spread to the Currys living close by on the bank of McCoys 
Creek. Inthe meantime some of the other residents, both men 
and ladies, hearing of the distress out there (that section was 
considered out of town then) went to nurse the sick.‘ In 
this way the contagion spread through the town. Most of 
the people left, and there was an entire suspension of busi- 
ness. But one store remained open-—a drug store conducted 
by Dr. E. P. Webster. Dr. Webster kept his store open all 
during the epidemic and dispensed medicines gratuitously to 
those who did not have the means to pay.* 

During the period of the disease the streets were deserted 
and grew up in grass. The steamers did not stop here and 
the town was isolated from the rest of the world. Doctors 
and clergymen courageously remained, and those of the resi- 
dents that stayed ministered to and nursed the sick night and 
day and buried the dead. Clothing and food were freely dis- 
pensed to those in need. Never were a people more sympa- 
thetic and generous. Fortunately there came an early frost 
(on October 26th, and on November 20th the temperature 


106 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


fell to freezing). There were 127 deaths, a fearful death 
rate, when it is considered that not more than 600 people had 
the fever. An idea of the malignity of the disease may be 
gained from the mortality in the Mott family, composed of 
twelve members, all of whom had the fever and nearly all of 
them died. The Turknett family, that had suffered so se- 
verely in the scarlet fever epidemic of 1854, lost two more 
members by yellow fever.c Numbers of the best citizens 
met death upon the altar of brotherly love. The grave 
stones in the old city cemetery bear mute witness to the 
terrible visitation. 

Some of the ignorant persons looked upon the spread of 
the disease with reverential fear and considered it a visita- 
tion of The Almighty.¢ Others thought it was due to the 
excavation being made for the railroad through wet and 
marshy land, thus exposing the freshly dug soil to the hot 
and sultry weather, thereby causing a malarious atmosphere. 
Still others advanced the idea that it might have originated 
at the old market, and cautioned the authorities to permit 
nothing that might be detrimental to the public health to 
exist there, especially in hot weather. But there was a pa- 
thetic feeling of dread and doubt, common to all in regard to 
the proper treatment of the fever and the best method by 
which to combat its spread. 

With the approach of cold weather, the residents began to 
return, and in the course of time the conditions that had ex- 
isted before the epidemic were resumed. The lumber indus- 
try recovered from the depression of 1857, and a succession 
of good crop years again placed everything upon the high 
road of prosperity.¢ 

And so, armed with Faith and Pluck, these early citizens 
won their fight with Adversity. 

New wharves and business houses were built, as were 
residences of a better class than had previously existed. 
Streets were opened and extended, and there was a general 
improvement in walks and roads. The city was governed 
without paid officials, only the marshal receiving a small 
salary for his services, and taxation was not burdensome.? 

In 1858, there were built here a large barque, called the 
American Eagle, and a schooner, the Martha. The Martha 
was lost at sea in May, 1876. What became of the American 
Eagle is not known.* 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 107 


Town Ordinances 
(Of record in 1859) 


These old laws are interesting and valuable historical 
records, furnishing a good insight into the spirit of the time. 
Under the town charter fines for violation of the town or- 
dinances were limited to not exceeding $100 for each viola- 
tion, and imprisonment to not exceeding 30 days. Running 
at random through them we find: 


An Ordinance Relating to Abusive Language and Drunkenness: 
Be it ordained by the intendant (mayor) and councilmen of the town of 
_Jacksonville, That any person or persons who shall be guilty of using 
any abusive or provoking language to any other person or persons, or 
of making any threats of violence, or of making use of any obscene 
language, or of immoral conduct, or of profane cursing or swearing, or 
being drunk in the streets, or of making any noise or disturbance cal- 
culated to disturb the public peace and quiet, or of aiding or abetting or 
being guilty of a riot within the limits of the town of Jacksonville, on 
conviction thereof shall, at the discretion of the intendant, be fined for 
each and every offence herein enumerated, not exceeding fifty dollars, 
or imprisoned not more than fifteen days. 

An Ordinance Relating to Sale of Beef: Be it ordained by the in- 
tendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That any person 
or persons, bringing beef, pork, or mutton, to sell at the public market 
of said town, shall ring the market bell, at least one minute before ex- 
posing the same for sale, and shall remain at the market at least one 
hour after ringing said bell, unless he sooner dispose of said meats, and 
shall also bring the hide and ears of each beef, and the ears of each hog 
and sheep, which shall be inspected by the marshal, and the marks and 
brands of the same be recorded in a book to be kept by him for that pur- 
pose, together with the name of the person or persons who shall bring 
said beef, pork or mutton for sale, and for such and every record of 
entry so made, the owner or seller of said beef shall pay the marshal 
twenty-five cents for each beef, and the owner or seller of said hog or 
mutton, twelve and one-half cents for each hog and sheep; and any 
person failing to comply with the provisions of this ordinance, shall be 
fined not exceeding ten dollars for each and every offence, at the dis- 
cretion of the intendant. 

An Ordinance Regulating Patrols: Be it ordained by the intendant 
and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That the town marshal 
furnish the intendant, at such times as he may require, a full and com- 
plete list of the names of all white male inhabitants of the town of 
Jacksonville, between the ages of sixteen and fifty-five years; and it 
shall be the duty of the intendant to require and make said persons do 
and perform patrol duty within the limits of said corporation of Jack- 
sonville, at any time and at all such times as he may deem necessary, 


108 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


and to order out as many of said persons as he may think proper, who 
shall be summoned by the marshal by 4 o’clock p.m. (except in case of 
emergency), and of the men so ordered out to do patrol duty, one shall 
be appointed captain by the intendant or marshal, who shall be required 
to give a true and correct account of his conduct and of the conduct of 
the men under him, to the intendant or marshal. The captain of the 
patrol shall be governed by the order of the intendant or marshal, and 
the laws of the state regulating patrol, and if any person or persons 
who may have been ordered by the intendant or summoned by the 
marshal to do patrol duty, shall fail, refuse, or neglect, to do the same, 
according to his or their order, or fail or neglect to provide a substitute, 
who will willingly perform the duty, he or they so offending, shall, upon 
conviction, be fined in the sum not exceeding three dollars, at the dis- 
cretion of the intendant, for each and every such offense; provided 
nevertheless that no member of the town council shall be subject to 
regular patrol duty, excent in case of emergency. 

An Ordinance Establishing Brick Limits (Passed Nov. 18, 1856— 
three davs after a large fire on south side of Bay Street). Defines the 
limits, Pine to Julia, south of Forsyth, except wharves and warehouses 
over the water, and provides: 

Be it further ordained, That any person or persons may and shall 
be stopped in their labors, in and about anv such building or structure 
as aforesaid (except buildines of brick, tahbv, or other fire-proof ma- 
terials), and their work shall be demolished, by and under the direction 
of the intendant of said town, or the person acting as such, either by 
himself or the town marshal or his deputy, either or all of whom are 
hereby authorized to summon a “posse comitatus” from the citizens for 
their assistance. 

Be it further ordained, that any and every person so summoned as 
aforesaid, either verbally or otherwise, to aid and assist said intendant 
or marshal as aforesaid, failing or refusing to assist them, shall each 
and every one of them be fined in a sum not exceeding one hundred 
dollars, or imprisoned not more tkan thirty davs, at the discretion of 
the intendant. 

An Ordinance Relating to Pay of Marshal: Be it ordained by the 
intendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That the com- 
pensation of services of the marshal shall be fixed at the following 
rates, and to continue until altered or renealed. viz: Snecific annual 
salary, $150; 5 per centum on taxes collected; 5 per centum on money 
collected for swimming or flatting cattle across St. Johns River: 50 ner 
centum of all fines collected; and allowed the same costs as a constable. 

An Ordinance Relating to Fire: Be it ordained by the intendant 
and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That anv person or persons, 
who shall make use of fire in any manner unusually dangerous to his 
or her neighbors, or any citizens of the town, endangering their prop- 
erty, or any property in the town, by their chimneys or stove pipes not 
being in a usually safe and fit state for use, or for such use as they are 
put to, or shall otherwise endanger their neighbors, or other citizens 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 109 


of the town, by neglect, carelessness, or imprudence in the use of fire 
in any way, shall be subject to a fine, if a white person, not exceeding 
one hundred doliars, or imprisonment not more than thirty days, for 
each offence, and the like penalty for every repetition thereof; and if 
a negro or mulatto, to whipping not exceeding thirty-nine stripes, at 
the discretion of the intendant. 

An Ordinance Relating to Houses of Ill-F'ame: Be it ordained by 
the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That any per- 
son or persons, who shall keep a disorderly house, or house of ill-fame, 
and every owner of a house or houses, or other person who may rent or 
cause to be rented, any house to be used as a house of ill-fame, shall be 
fined not exceeding twenty doliars, or imprisonment not over five days, 
on conviction, for every day the house is so kept, at the discretion of 
the intendant. Circumstances from which it may be reasonably in- 
ferred that any house which is inhabited by disorderly persons of im- 
moral character and notoriously bad fame, shall be sufficient to estab- 
lish the fact, that such house is a disorderly house, or house of ill-fame, 
according to the meaning of this ordinance; and all adult persons in- 
habiting and living in such house, shall be considered the keepers there- 
of, and be subject to the penalties of this ordinance. 

An Ordinance to Prevent Nuisances: Be it ordained by the in- 
tendant and councilmen oi the town of Jacksonville, That any person or 
persons in said town, who shall keep on his or her premises any 
nuisance to the annoyance of his or her neighbors, or detrimental to the 
health of said town, and suffer the same to remain after being notified 
by the marshal to remove the same, shali, on conviction, be fined not 
exceeding twenty dollars, nor less than three dollars, at the discretion 
of the intendant, and pay in addition to said fine, the cost of removing 
said nuisance. 

An Ordinance Relating to Selling or Giving Liquors to Slaves: Be 
it ordained by the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, 
That any person or persons, who shall give or sell any spirituous or in- 
toxicating liquor to any slave (except by written permission from the 
owner, agent, or employer of such slave), within the corporation limits, 
shall, on conviction, be fined not exceeding fifty dollars, or imprisoned 
not more than fifteen days, for each offence, at the discretion of the 
intendant. 

An Ordinance Punishing Resistance to Authority of the Marshal: 
Be it ordained by the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jackson- 
ville, That if any person or persons resist or oppose the marshal of the 
town of Jacksonville, in the exercise of his duty under any of the or- 
dinances of said town, or being called upon by the marshal, shall refuse 
to give him active aid and assistance in apprehending any person or 
persons accused of any crime, or acting in any unlawful manner, he or 
they so offending shall be fined not exceeding twenty dollars, or im- 
prisoned not more than five days at the discretion of the intendant. 

An Ordinance Relating to Non-Attendance at Council Meetings: 
Be it ordained by the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jackson- 


110 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ville, That any member of the council failing to attend a meeting of the 
same, after having been duly summoned by the marshal of the town, 
shall be fined in the sum of two dollars, unless a good, sufficient, and 
satisfactory excuse be rendered. 

An Ordinance Relating to the Market: Be it ordained by the in- 
tendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That it shall not be 
lawful for any person to sit, stand, or lounge upon the benches or meat- 
stalls of the market house, and any person or persons violating the pro- 
visions of this ordinance, on conviction thereof, shall be fined five dol- 
lars, or imprisoned one day, at the discretion of the intendant. 

And be it further ordained, That the rent of the stalls in the town 
market, shall be five dollars per month; and no stall shall be rented for 
a less period than one month; and said monthly rent to be paid to the 
marshal, in all cases, in advance. 

An Ordinance Relating to Paupers and Vagrants: Be it ordained 
by the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, That no 
person shall knowingly and willfully bring or introduce, or cause to be 
brought or introduced, into the town of Jacksonville, any pauper or 
vagrant, or any person not having property to support him or her, and 
who is unable or unwilling to work, or otherwise support himself or her- 
self in a respectable way, with intent to make such pauper or vagrant 
chargeable upon the charity of the town or citizens thereof. For each 
and every day that such pauper or vagrant shall remain in this town, the 
person so introducing, or causing him or her to be introduced, shall be 
adjudged to be guilty of a new violation of this ordinance. Every 
violation of this ordinance shall be punished by a fine not exceeding 
fifty dollars, or imprisonment not more than fifteen days. 

An Ordinance Regulating Trial in Intendant’s Court: Be it or- 
dained by the intendant and councilmen of the town of Jacksonville, 
That the trial of all offences that may arise under any of the ordinances 
of the town of Jacksonville, shall be had before the intendant, the said 
intendant sitting and composing a court for that purpose; and all trials 
shall be conducted according to the usual forms and rules adopted in 
the courts of justice. 

And be it further ordained, That all actions or prosecutions brought 
under the ordinances of said town, shall be brought in the name of the 
town or city of Jacksonville. 

And be it further ordained, That all fines, penalties, and taxes 
shall be levied and collected by warrant from the intendant or mayor. 


First Telegraph 


The first telegraph line from Jacksonville was built in 
1859, to Baldwin, where it connected with the Cuban line and 
with the North. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 111 


Aurora of 1859 


On September 2, 1859, from midnight to 4 a.m., a fine 
auroral display was observed by the citizens of Jacksonville. 
At times it was very bright and red, occupying the northern 
heavens from northwest around to northeast and east. 
Streamers would be sent up from different points almost to 
the zenith, then fade away and flicker up again. At 3 a.m. 
the whole heavens shone with a brilliant red light, even the 
south was quite red. The more ignorant people were very 
much frightened, and many amusing incidents were told of 
how the negroes began to pray, thinking that the end of the 
world was at hand. 

There appears to have been a period of special auroral 
frequency from 1870 to 1882. More or less pronounced 
auroral displays were observed in Jacksonville on September 
24 and October 14 and 25, 1870; February 4, 1872; June 4, 
1877; and on November 17, 1882, there was a well-marked 
display that attracted general attention.’ 


Just Prior to the War 


In the years 1850 to 1860, the town, notwithstanding its 
many setbacks, doubled its population; the census of 1860 
gave more than 2,000 inhabitants. During 1860, there was 
no cessation of business. Travel and the mails increased; 
likewise the telegraph business. Steamers and other vessels 
came and departed regularly. But with the mutterings of 
the coming trouble a nervous tension found its way into every 
occupation. The public mind drifted into political, rather 
than into commercial channels. Groups of men would collect 
on the streets and discuss the grave questions of the day. 
News of the attack on Fort Sumter at once suspended all 
business with the North and the mills, with one exception, 
closed down. Then the mails ceased coming, and the town 
began gradually to subside into inactivity,* only soon to be 
drawn into the whirlpool of war. 


Bibliography, Chapter XI 
a“Old Citizen’? in Jacksonville Tri-weekly Union, Feb. 1, 1876; bRecords 6f Dr. 
A. S. Ranliwin : cReliable data; old newspaper clipping; dHistory of Florida, Webb; 
eMrs. Geo. S. Wilson aD. M. Bostwick; gAs published in Florida Times-Union. 


112 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XII 
SOCIAL LIFE BEFORE THE WAR 


A large percentage of the citizens were men of education 
and ability, some of them being specialists in their profes- 
sional lines. Given to entertaining among themselves, and 
the “‘strangers within their gates’, they formed a distinct set 
where culture and refinement were the dominant character- 
istics, thus creating a social condition that was morally 
healthful and uplifting. Cooking and serving were done 
entirely at home, by servants trained in the art for genera- 
tions. Domestic service was then free from nomadic annoy- 
ance; therefore the ease and pleasures of entertaining were 
unhampered. 

The chief amusements were dinner parties, cards, and 
dancing. Besides the old-fashioned square dances, reels, 
ete., graceful Spanish dances and gliding waltzes were in- 
dulged in. All danced, the matron as well as the maid; 
grandmothers could be seen dancing with their grandsons. 
No dance was ever given without the patronage of married 
people—this was a strict social requirement. Marcellini, an 
old Spanish negro, was the chief functionary at all the 
dances, as it was his “fiddle and bow” that furnished the 
music, the mention of which caused one lady to exclaim, 
“Sweet memories of happy days are revived with the thought 
of Marcellini and his dancing fiddle”, while another says in 
verse: 


I see him yet, his rolling eyes, his scanty woolen hair, 

His swaying form, his conscious pride, his almost lordly air, 

When all the white folks waiting stood, till he would draw his bow; 
* * * * * * 


And when he touched the familiar notes, the sober and the staid, 
Just felt the music in their heels, when Marcellini played. 


Picnics in the summer-time and oyster roasts in the 
winter were pleasures that all could partake of. Camping 
for several days on the river bank, called ‘“‘marooning’’, was 
a popular pastime. A period of moonlight nights was gen- 
erally selected for marooning, so that moonlight water par- 
ties might be an attendant feature. Music was on hand to 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 113 


be sure, and the soft, mellow notes of the guitar were certain 
to be heard out on the river as some youth sang the popular 
ballad of the day: 


Lightly row, lightly row, as o’er the dancing waves we go; 
Smoothly glide, smoothly glide, out on the silent tide. 

Let the winds and waters be, mingled with our melody, 
Lightly row, lightly row, for music’s voice is low. 

Gently with the sea-bird’s note, let our dying music float, 
Lightly row, 1-i-g-h-t-l-y r-o-w. 


There was serenading by groups of young men, who 
would visit the home of some popular person and with music 
and songs entertain the household for half an hour or so, 
those within in the meantime preparing refreshments for 
the serenaders. Frequently the presence of some “‘love-sick”’ 
person would be evinced by the notes of his guitar, as he 
stood singing softly outside the home of his “lady-love’’. 
More boisterous was the custom of charivari, or ‘‘shiveree’’, 
a hideous clamor of tin pans, horns, whistles, and other dis- 
agreeable noises, indulged in outside the home of a newly 
married widow or widower. The hilarious amusement always 
provoked anger on the part of the groom, but it would not 
cease until the participants were refreshed with cake and 
wine. 

This lightness, vivacity, love of pleasure, marks clearly 
the impress of the Spanish character upon the community. 

The English occupation also left some of its staunch, 
staid customs, such as strict attendance upon the Church 
services; financial provision for the future; propriety the 
requirement of society’s inner circle; and a rigid obedience 
to set customs, a disregard of them being considered an 
evidence of ill-breeding. . 

All forms of affliction met with the profoundest sym- 
pathy. Notice of funerals was written on a sheet of letter 
paper through which a wide black ribbon was inserted, and 
taken from house to house by a servant, attendance being 
considered a mark of respect for the living, as well as for 
the dead. There were no trained nurses and it devolved upon 
some member of the family, usually the mother or oldest 
daughter, to perform such duties in case of sickness. When 
members of a household were unable to provide the necessary 
attention for its sick, neighbors volunteered. It was nothing 
out of the ordinary for those occupying the highest social 


114 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


position to nurse the poor night and day, or to shroud the 
dead. Sorrow and sickness obliterated the social boundary 
line and affliction became public property. 

Public out-of-door functions, barbecues, patriotic celebra- 
tions, and the like were of frequent occurrence. Every town 
improvement, or the inauguration of anything that had as 
its object the public weal, met with immediate popular favor, 
and the occasion was usually made one of public celebration, 
with speech-making and a grand, good time for all. Sucha 
thing as a circus coming to town was sufficient to cause un- 
bounded enthusiasm, and the songs and jokes could be heard 
on the streets long after its departure. 

In general, the people were kind-hearted, generous, and 
hospitable. They were happy and contented, with a pro- 
found fondness for recreation and pleasure; yet they were 
sympathetic and patient under affliction, and at all times 
were united in the interest of the town’s improvement. The 
community was prosperous, and the citizens possessed a 
business judgment that enabled them to overcome seem- 
ingly insurmountable obstacles, and to provide bountifully | 
for the present, and accumulate for the future. 


Bibliography, Chapter XII 


First-hand story of old residents of Jacksonville in what they called the “happy 
days before the war’’. 











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Pd oe 7 4 cy Z 7 , * > os ay 4 
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Original at Public Library: Gift of G.D. Ackerly. | “s, 


SONVILLE, 1859 








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4iTh OF ENDICOTT & Co & YORe 


See description page 115 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Map of Jacksonville of 1859 


*No written record applying to the foregoing map of Jack- 
sonville has been found, but its face bears testimony that tends 
to place its date in 1859. The shading in the lower center is 
the area covered by the devastating fire of 1854. The Judson 
House was built in 1854. The plank road was built in 1856-7. 
The map bears the title “City”: Jacksonville was created a 
“City” by change from “Town” class by the charter of January, 
1859. The Buffington House was burned late in 1859, and it 
probably would not have been shown as an illustration and 
located on the map had the map been prepared at a later time. 
Therefore it is assumed that the map was prepared in 1859 
with some relation to the new charter and change of designa- 
tion; and also that it was based on a previous map, presum- 
ably Hart’s map of about 1857. 

The corporate limits indicated are those of March, 1842, 
remaining unchanged by the new charter, in fact they so re- 
mained until 1887. The unnumbered blocks in the upper por- 
tion of the map lie between Hogans Creek and the South 
Branch of the creek; the south branch has since been filled in 
and does not appear on late maps. I. D. Hart acquired all of the 
Taylor grant except ten acres; the unnumbered blocks referred 
to comprise about ten acres. 

In the early days the river was not bulkheaded and almost 
every severe northeaster backed the water into the stores on 
Bay Street. Apparently I. D. Hart in his survey attempted to 
correct this and at the same time increase the value of a larger 
section of his property by shifting the business center of the 
town from Bay Street between Market and Ocean to a black- 
jack ridge, where he provided a public square (now Hemming 
Park), doubtless intended as a market and general gathering 
place; and laid off the lots facing it on Duval, Hogan and Mon- 
roe Streets and the diagonal corners as half lots for store and 
business purposes. Hart never donated this square to the city, 
but the executors of his estate did in 1866. It is not known 
why the block numbered 68 was not divided into lots, unless 
the purpose was to reserve it for the free negroes settled in 
that locality. 


115 


116 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XIII 


THE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 
(1861-1865) 


Florida withdrew from the Union January 10, 1861, 
whereupon the Jacksonville Light Infantry offered its serv- 
ices to the governor and was ordered to the mouth of the St. 
Johns River to garrison a post at that point. Soon after- 
ward a company known as the Duval County Cow Boys took 
up a position on St. Johns Bluff. These posts were main- 
tained until the approach of the Federal squadron under 
Commodore DuPont in March, 1862.° 


Mayor’s Proclamation 


Early in March, 1862, rumors reached Jacksonville that 
a Federal expedition, with a large number of troops, was 
about to embark for the occupation of this town. The mayor 
then published this proclamation, for the information of the 
citizens :° 


TO THE CITIZENS OF JACKSONVILLE. 


Fellow Citizens: 

In the present trying crisis, much thought and anxious inquiry 
have been devoted by the City Council, the citizens, and several of our 
friends from the country, including Gen. S. R. Pyles and Staff, to 
ascertain and determine what, under all the circumstances, is best to 
pe done, and will best promote the safety, comfort, and happiness of 
the people. 

On yesterday evening, a portion of the City Council held an inter- 
view with Gen. Pyles and his Staff, and after full discussion and patient 
deliberation, it was unanimously determined that inasmuch as all the 
Confederate troops, arms, and munitions of war upon the St. Johns 
river and in East and South Florida generally are to be abandoned, it 
is useless to attempt a defense of the City of Jacksonville, and there- 
fore upon the approach of the enemy it should be surrendered. This 
having been decided upon as the sound and proper course to be pursued, 
Col. M. Whit Smith suggested that the Mayor should make it known to 
the citizens by proclamation and this suggestion being fully concurred 
in by all present, 

I therefore, in conformity thereto, make known to you that all 
defenses will be immediately withdrawn from the city and the St. Johns 
river and no military force will be kept on duty, except for Police pur- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 117 


poses, and such force will be supplied by details drawn from our citizens. 
1 advise and earnestly admonish our citizens to remain at their 
homes and pursue their usual avocations, and I call upon all good cit- 
izens to give their aid and counsel for the preservation of good order 
throughout the entire community. It is the opinion of our most expe- 
rienced and intelligent citizens (and I think a correct one) that if the 
enemy meet with no resistance, private property will be respected, and 
unarmed citizens will be allowed to pursue their usual occupations. T 
trust, therefore, that our whole population will act with becoming pru- 
dence, and that no unnecessary provocation may be given that mav 
furnish a reason for violence from any quarter; and if after we have 
offered no resistance and given no just provocation, violence should be 
committed, the whole blame will rest on the aggressors. Every citizen 
able to perform police duty is hereby required to hold himself in readi- 
ness to go on duty, upon receiving notice from the Chief of Police. 


H. H. Hoeg, 
March 7, 1862. Mayor. 


This proclamation not only did not produce the desired 
effect, but on the other hand greatly intensified the alarm. 
The residents were panic-stricken, and two or three days 
later, when news was received that Fernandina had been 
occupied by Federal troops, all the Southern sympathizers 
who could go away left Jacksonville. Business along all lines 
was entirely suspended. The one railroad out of the town 
was taxed to its utmost capacity, carrying refugees to Lake 
City and other points in the interior of Florida. Others left 
with their belongings in wagons, some of them, women and 
children, having no destination and guided and protected 
only by faithful servants. A recital of the hardships that 
many of these women and children suffered during the next 
few years would soften the most callous heart. Numbers of 
them found refuge with relatives or friends in the interior, 
but there were some who suffered terrible hardships and 
were subjected to all the horrors incident to war.? 

When the city offices were closed the records were secretly 
buried for safe-keeping. After the war, when these records 
were exhumed, it was found that they were practically worth- 
less because of illegibility due to decay.¢ 


First Federal Occupation‘ 


Four Federal gunboats, Seneca, Pembina, Ottawa, and 
Isaac Smith, and two transports of Commodore DuPont’s 
squadron, crossed St. Johns bar March 11, 1862, and anchored 


118 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


in the river. On the same day the Confederates came to 
Jacksonville, and under orders from the commander of the 
district, General Trapier, burned all the mills, except one 
(Scott’s), and 4,000,000 feet of lumber. Mr. Scott saved his 
mill by raising the British flag over it. They also burned the 
foundry, and a gunboat on the ways. But this was not all. 
That night a mob of men composed of refugees from Fernan- 
dina and Jacksonville came in and from pure malignity fired 
the Judson House and two or three other buildings in the 
town.& 

The next day, March 12th, the Federal squadron came 
up the river and anchored off Jacksonville. The capitulation 
of the town is described by a resident, Frederick Lueders, in 
the Immigration Edition of the Industrial Record (Jackson: 
ville) of July, 1907, as follows: 


“One day (March 12th), as I was standing on the river 
bank at the foot of Laura Street, I saw four gunboats come 
steaming up the river and drop anchor off the foot of Pine 
(Main) Street. I was getting pretty well scared, when the 
thought flashed through my head, ‘If they bombard Jack- 
sonville, it will be nothing short of murder’. At that time 
I happened to have a stick in my hand, and noting the guns 
were turned toward Jacksonville, I took out my handkerchief, 
tied it to the stick, and waved it vigorously over my head. 
The commander of the fleet saw the peace signal and with his 
aides came ashore. Upon landing, I told him the existing 
circumstances and begged him not to open fire upon the town. 
He said he would not, and for me to go on board. After I 
had explained that I was the only officer in the town (he was 
sheriff) he requested me to sign the surrender papers, which 
I did. He said his mission here was one of peace and that 
he hoped Florida would not suffer the havoc of war. Upon 
my return I found to my surprise that troops had been 
landed and pickets were out.” 

It was six companies of the Fourth New Hampshire Regi- 
ment, under the command of Colonel T. J. Whipple, that Mr. 
Lueders found in possession of Jacksonville. The occupation 
was quietly performed on March 12th. The Confederate 
troops were encamped in the vicinity of Baldwin, but they 
were more or less disorganized and poorly equipped, and they 
made no attempt at contesting the landing of the Federal 
forces here. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 119 


The original plan of the Federal expedition was to occupy 
Jacksonville for only a few hours, for the purpose of recon- 
naissance; but the representations of the “loyal” residents 
of the town caused Colonel Whipple to abandon the idea of 
immediate evacuation. Pickets were stationed and the troops 
went into camp or were quartered in the vacant buildings. 
On March 19th, General T. W. Sherman} (U. S. A.), com- 
mander of the department, arrived. He came for the pur- 
pose of personally acquainting himself with the situation 
here, and in his report he stated that the act of Colonel 
Whipple in regularly occupying Jacksonville was a wise one. 

In the meantime, the Confederate troops in the vicinity 
of Baldwin, under the command of Colonel W. S. Dilworth, 
were recruiting and otherwise preparing to resist any attempt 
of the Federals to march into the interior of the State. 


Proclamation of the Loyal Citizens 


As soon as Jacksonville was thoroughly in the hands of 
the Federal army, a meeting of the “Loyal Citizens of the 
United States’, was held, at 10:30 a. m., March 20, 1862, 
C. L. Robinson, chairman; O. L. Keene, secretary; John S. 
Sammis, S. F. Halliday, John W. Price, Philip Frazer, and 
Paran Moody, being the committee appointed to draft reso- 
lutions to lay before said meeting. The following is a true 
copy of these resolutions :§ 


We, the people of the city of Jacksonville and its vicinity, in the 
county of Duval, and State of Florida, embraced within the territory 
and jurisdiction of the United States of America, do hereby set forth 
our declaration of rights and our solemn protest against the abrogation 
of the same by any pretended State or other authority. 

First. We hold that government is a contract, in which protection 
is the price of allegiance; that when protection is denied, through weak- 
ness or design, allegiance is no longer due. 

Second. We hold that an established form of government cannot 
be changed or abrogated except by the will of the people, intelligently 
and willingly expressed and fairly ratified. 

Third. We hold that no State of the United States has any legal or . 
constitutional right to separate itself from the government and juris- 
diction of the United States. 

Fourth. We hold that the act of the Convention of the State of 





Do not confound with W. T. Sherman. 


§War of the Rebellion—Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. 
Series 1, Vol. VI, Page 251, 252. 


120 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


res 


Florida commonly known as the ordinance of secession, is void, being 
in direct conflict with the Constitution of the United States, in never 
having been submitted to the people for ratification. 

Fifth. We hold that the State of Florida is an integral part of 
the United States, subject to the constitutional jurisdiction of the same, 
and we have reason to believe that thousands of her citizens would hail 
with joy the restoration of the Government, bringing deliverance from 
the terrors of unrestrained popular and military despotism. We 
solemnly protest against all the acts and ordinances of the Convention 
of the State of Florida, which were designed to deprive us of our rights 
as citizens of the United States. We protest against the despotism 
fostered by the State and other authorities claiming jurisdiction over 
us, which has denied us the rights most dear to freemen—freedom of 
speech and a free press. We protest against the exactions which have 
been imposed upon us—forced contributions of money, property, and 
labor; enlistments for military service procured by threats and misrep- 
resentations. We protest against the tyranny which demands of us 
as a measure of revolutionary policy abandonment of our homes and 
property and exposure of our wives and children to sickness, destitution, 
gaunt famine, innumerable and untold miseries and sorrows. We 
protest against that mad and barbarous policy which has punished us 
for remaining in our own homes by sending a brutal and unrestrained 
soldiery to pillage and burn our property, threaten and destroy our 
lives. We protest against the denunciation of the governor, who 
threatens to hang us because we do not tamely submit to such indig- 
nities and “lick the hand just raised to shed our blood.” From such a 
despotism and from such dangers and indignities we have been released 
by the restoration of the Government of the United States, with the 
benign principles of the Constitution. The reign of terror is past. 
Law and order prevail in our midst. 

It belongs now to the citizens of the State who hold to their allegi- 
ance to the United States to raise up a State government according to 
those provisions of the State which are not in conflict with or repug- 
nant to the provisions of the United States: 

Be it therefore resolved, That we adopt the foregoing protest and 
declaration of rights, and recommend that a convention of all loyal 
citizens be called forthwith, for the purpose of organizing a State 
government of the State of Florida. 

Be it further resolved, That the chief of the military department 
of the United States be requested to retain at this place a sufficient 
force to maintain order and protect the people in their persons and 
property. Philip Frazer, Chairman. 

A true copy of the resolutions as passed at said meeting and 
adopted as their own act. 

C. L. Robinson, 
Chairman; 

O. L. Keene, 
Secretary. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 121 


On the same day, General Sherman issued a proclamation 
to the ‘‘Loyal People of East Florida’’, confirming and com- 
mending the foregoing resolutions and stating that the 
troops of the United States “had come amongst you to pro- 
tect loyal citizens and their property from further molesta- 
tion by the creatures of a rebel and usurped authority, and 
to enable you to resuscitate a Government which they have 
ruthlessly endeavored to destroy’, etc. Another meeting 
of the “‘loyal citizens” was held on the 24th of March and a 
committee of five was appointed to take steps toward obtain- 
ing the co-operation of other counties in the State in the 
effort to organize a state government under the jurisdiction 
of the United States. To this end a convention was called 
to meet at Jacksonville on April 10, 1862. 

In the afternoon of March 24th, General H. G. Wright 
and the 97th Pennsylvania regiment arrived, General Wright 
assuming command of the troops in Jacksonville. The Con- 
federates had by this time moved nearer the town and occu- 
pied a position at McGirts Creek, about 10 miles west in the 
direction of Baldwin. On the night of March 24th, a Federal 
picket of two men that had gone beyond the lines was cap- 
tured, and at 3 a. m. March 25th, the Confederates attacked 
a picket at the old brick yard in West LaVilla, killing four 
and capturing three of them. Lieutenant Strange (C.S8. A.) 
was mortally wounded here. This was the first blood of the 
war spilled in this vicinity. 

On the night of March 27th, a Federal picket fired upon 
a party approaching them in what they thought a suspicious 
manner, and of the two in advance, one was killed and the 
other wounded. They proved to be a party of negroes that 
had escaped from their masters at Lake City. The next day, 
General Wright, hearing that the Confederates were contem- 
plating an attack upon Jacksonville, sent to Fernandina for 
two sections of Hamilton’s battery. Its arrival brought the 
Federal force in Jacksonville up to 1,400 men. No attack 
was made, however, and a few days later the evacuation of 
the town was ordered. 


The Evacuation 


General Wright, in his official report, describes the evacu- 
ation as follows: 


122 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


On the 7th (April, 1862) preparations for withdrawing were begun 
by embarking the public stores, and on the 8th, at 12 noon, the troops 
were marched on board and the embarkation was completed by 2 p. m. 
the same day. Owing to the heavy wind which had sprung up during 
the morning, it was impossible to get all the transports clear of the 
wharf until near sunset—too late to move safely very far down the 
intricate channel of the river that night—and it was therefore deter- 
mined to lay off the town until morning. This I was more willing to do, 
as it took from our movement all appearance of a hasty retreat. At 
6 a. m. of the 9th, the transports, convoyed by the gunboats, proceeded 
down the river. 


It is said that General Wright notified the Confederates 
of the intended evacuation and requested them to resume 
their occupation of the town, whereupon a detachment of 
the First Florida calvary rode in and stood on the wharf 
watching the gunboats sail away. 

The evacuation of Jacksonville by the Federal forces was 
unfortunate for “loyal” citizens, the bona-fide ones as well 
as for those who, supposing the occupation would be perma- 
nent, sought to further their personal interests by disclaim- 
ing all connection with the Southern cause and remained 
within the Federal lines. When it became known that the 
town was to be evacuated, the greatest excitement prevailed 
among the people; their principal desire now was to get out 
of Jacksonville, for fear of vengeance. The morning of 
April 8th was very hot. There was the greatest confusion, 
as the loyal citizens hurriedly tried to get their goods, furni- 
ture, and valuables on board of the transports.” They em- 
barked with the Federal fleet and were carried to Fernandina 
and Brunswick and quartered in the vacant buildings there. 
Most of them had to rely on rations issued from the United 
States stores. 

Just before the evacuation, General Wright was directed 
by the general commanding the department, T. W. Sherman, 
to issue the following notice: 


HEADQUARTERS THIRD BRIGADE 


Jacksonville, Fla., April 7, 1862. 
(NOTICE). In accordance with an order issued by the general com- 
manding the Department of the South the troops will be withdrawn 
from this place, and I am directed by him to notify the people of Jack- 
sonville that it is his intention to have all the aid and protection afforded 
the loyal inhabitants of the interior of Florida that is practicable for 
the security of their persons and property, and for the punishment of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 123 


outrages, and that he holds all persons in that vicinity responsible for 
the preservation of order and quiet, being fully determined that any 
outrages upon persons or property contrary to the laws and usages of 
war shall be visited fourfold upon the inhabitants of disloyal or doubt- 
ful character nearest the scenes of any such wrongs, when the actual 
or known perpetrators cannot be discovered. 

The undersigned trusts that inasmuch as the unoffending citizens 
of this place have been treated with the utmost forbearance by our 
forces, it will not be necessary to carry out the intention in the last 
clause of the above notice. H. G. Wright, 


Brigadier-General Commanding. 


The following is the report of Colonel W. 8. Dilworth (C. 
S. A.) commanding the district of East and Middle Florida, 
dated April 15, 1862, regarding the operations of the Confed- 
erate troops in front of Jacksonville during the occupation 
of the town by the Federal forces: 


When the enemy first occupied Jacksonville and while all the 
Florida troops were retreating in confusion and disorder, I, as colonel 
of the Third Regiment Florida Volunteers, ordered a part of my regi- 
ment to advance in the direction of Jacksonville and take a position 
within ten miles of the city, with only 250 effective men. Soon I had 
eight companies of my regiment with me. After making a thorough 
reconnaissance of the city, I became convinced that I could not attack 
the city without heavy loss and could be driven out by the enemy’s 
gunboats. I then determined to commence a system of annoyances, 
by attacking their pickets, foraging parties, etc. I made a successful 
attack on the picket near the city of Jacksonville, killing four and 
taking three prisoners, when I was ordered to take command of the 
district. Colonel Davis was then ordered to the command of the forces 
near Jacksonville, and has most successfully carried on the system 
which I commenced and which has resulted in their evacuation of the 
place. JI have further to report that after the evacuation the enemy 
returned under a flag of truce and were permitted to land 52 negroes, 
which were taken in charge by the commander of the post. 


The Yacht America” 


It was at the time of the first Federal occupation of Jack- 
sonville that the incident of the capture of the famous yacht 
America occurred. 

The career of the America was a notable one. She was 
built by George Steers for Commodore J. C. Stevens, founder 
of the N. Y. Yacht Club, and launched in March, 1851. She 
was a schooner-rigged racing yacht of unusual design and 
registered 170 tons. 


124 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


In 1851 the first world’s exhibit ever held was opened at 
Crystal Palace in London, and as a sort of culmination of 
the ceremonies attending the opening there was a great 
international assemblage of yachts at Cowes. Many races 
were on the program, chief of which was an international 
race open to the yachts of all nations for a cup offered by the 
British Royal Yacht Squadron, the course to be around the 
Isle of Wight, 81 miles. Commodore Stevens sent the Amer- 
ica over for this race, the first ever participated in by Amer- 
ican and British yachts. From the moment of the America’s 
arrival at Cowes she was an object of curiosity and appre- 
hension and on one pretext or another the British yacht 
owners hesitated to accept the challenge that Commodore 
Stevens issued to the world. Finally the challenge was 
accepted and the race was sailed on Friday, August 22, 1851. 
The New York Herald correspondent on the spot described 
it as follows: 


Shortly after nine o’clock on Friday morning the yachts were at 
their stations off the club house, the America lying considerably astern. 
She was a strange-looking craft enough with her long, low, black hull, 
her breadth of beam, and her thick, stiff-looking, rakish masts. Pitted 
against her were fourteen yachts, of which six were schooners and 
eight cutters. Among these were the flower of the English sporting 
navy, the choicest products of shipbuilding skill. At ten o’clock the 
signal was fired from the club house. Before the smoke had cleared 
away, the fleet was under way, moving steadily to the east with the 
tide and gentle breeze. The only laggard was the America, which did 
not move for a second or so after the others. Steamers, shore boats, 
and yachts of all sizes buzzed along on each side of the course and 
spread away for miles. 

If the British heart leaped with momentary exultation over the 
slowness of the America in getting under way, it was only momentary. 
She began to creep up on her opponents, passing some of the cutters 
to windward. In a quarter of an hour she had left them all behind, 
save only the Constance, the Beatrice and the Fairy Queen, which were 
well together and went along smartly with the light breeze. In another 
quarter of an hour the America was clear of them all. Off Sandown 
Bay, the wind freshening, her jibboom was carried away, but she was 
well handled and the mishap produced no ill effect, her competitors 
gaining a trifle, but not approaching her. From the moment she 
rounded St. Catherine’s Point the race was practically over. When the 
America finally reached the starting vessel at twenty-five minutes to 
nine p. m., there was no competitor in sight. 

The news reached Her Majesty the Queen on board of her yacht. 
“Who is second?” asked the Queen. “Your Majesty there is no second,” 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 125 


replied the messenger. This was true for the moment, but twenty 
minutes later the Aurora arrived at the stakeboat and was awarded 
second honors. 


The America brought the cup home and Commodore 
Stevens afterward gave it to the N. Y. Yacht Club, where it 
has since remained. Some time after the race the America 
was purchased by an Englishman and flew the Union Jack 
instead of the Stars and Stripes, until the opening of the 
War Between the States, when a syndicate, tempted by her 
sailing qualities, purchased her for use as a blockade runner 
for the Confederacy. 

As a blockade runner the America’s rendezvous was 
among the Florida Keys, whence she made flying trips to 
Nassau and Bermuda. In March, 1862, she entered the St. 
Johns River while the Federal squadron was lying off the 
bar. An old resident who was an eye-witness to the occur- 
rence published this account of it: 


One moonlight night at Mayport, when the Federal gunboats were 
just far enough outside for their black hulls to be faintly visible, there 
came up out of the east on a wholesale sailing breeze a yacht with 
every stitch of canvas set and drawing. The foam was cut from her 
bows like a knife would do it and was thrown high over her deck and 
on her sails. There came a flash and a boom.from a gunboat and a 
shot ricochetted across her bow, followed by more flashes and shots; 
but on the gallant craft came, spar and rigging untouched, heeling over 
now and then and righting herself gracefully. She passed inside the 
bar safely and when she went by the point (at Mayport) seemed to be 
flying. She went up to Jacksonville. There being no chance to run 
the gauntlet again the America was taken to Black Creek when the 
Federal gunboats entered the river, and was there scuttled, being thus 
saved from capture as a prize. 


When the Federals occupied Jacksonville they soon dis- 
covered the situation of the America and utilizing the old 
St. Johns River steamboat Darlington, which they had pre- 
viously captured at the drawbridge near Fernandina, raised 
her and towed her to Jacksonville. Temporary repairs were 
made upon the America and she was taken along when the 
Federal squadron left in April, 1862. She was afterward 
assigned as a training ship at Annapolis. 

In 1870, there came from England Mr. Ashbury’s chal- 
lenge for the America’s cup. It was the unanimous desire 
of the country that the America be allowed to compete for 


126 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


the defense of the cup she had originally won; she had won 
it against a fleet, and now in 1870 a fleet was to be sent out 
to defend it against the British challenger Cambria. In the 
race the America beat the Cambria, but herself was beaten 
by three other American yachts—the Magic, the Idler, and 
the Silvie. The America then returned to Annapolis and 
resumed her position as a training ship. In 1873 she was 
condemned by the Government and sold to Gen. B. F. Butler. 


Second Federal Occupation’ 


Following the first Federal occupation Jacksonville was 
not regularly occupied by Confederate troops. Confederate 
detachments occasionally came into town, however, just to 
see how things were getting along, but after a short time 
withdrew. 

In the summer of 1862, batteries were erected by the 
Confederates on the St. Johns River below Jacksonville, at 
Yellow Bluff and St. Johns Bluff, on opposite sides of the 
river. For some time these batteries kept the Federal squad- 
ron, comprising the gunboats Paul Jones, Cimarron, Water 
Witch, Hale, Uncas, and Patroon, from coming up the river. 
The ineffectual effort of the gunboats to reduce these bat- 
teries, resulted in an expedition of four transports, carrying 
1,573 men, which left Hilton Head, S. C., on September 30th, 
for the purpose of co-operating with the fleet. This expe- 
dition landed near Mayport Mills during the afternoon and 
evening of October 1st. 

Colonel C. F. Hopkins, commanding the battery at St. 
Johns Bluff immediately requested reinforcements, and the 
garrison at Yellow Bluff crossed over to reinforce him, bring- 
ing his available force up to about 500 men. The next day 
the Federal forces, increased by men from the gunboats, 
began a movement by land against St. Johns Bluff, the fleet 
co-operating with the land forces. Late that afternoon, 
Colonel Hopkins had a conference with his officers, at which 
it was decided that his force was insufficient to hold the 
position. It was therefore quietly abandoned at 9 p. m., 
October 2d. All the guns and a considerable amount of 
ammunition fell into the hands of the Federal forces. 

On October 3d, the Paul Jones steamed up to Jacksonville, 
for the purpose of destroying all boats and otherwise inter- 
eepting the passage of the Confederate troops across the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 127 


river. In this it was unsuccessful and returned the next 
morning to join the fleet anchored off St. Johns Bluff. 

On October 5th, Jacksonville was occupied the second 
time by the Federal army. A small Confederate force was 
stationed in the outskirts of the town, for the purpose of 
observation, but retired when the gunboat Cimarron opened 
fire upon them. The landing of the troops was completed 
in the afternoon of the 5th, and the next morning the gun- 
boats went in search of Confederate steamers which rumor 
said were secreted in the creeks up the river. The fleet 
returned on the 9th, with the steamer Governor Milton, cap- 
tured in a creek near Enterprise in a disabled condition, her 
boilers being entirely worn out. Jacksonville was evacuated 
on the afternoon of the 9th, after an occupation of just four 
days. 

General J. M. Brannan, commander of the Federal expe- 
dition, said in his report of October 18, 1862: 


On the 5th (October) I proceeded up the river as far as Jackson- 
ville in the transport Ben DeFord, with 785 infantry. I observed a 
large quantity of corn and other crops on the banks of the river which 
it was at first my intention either to remove or destroy. This purpose 
I afterward abandoned as impracticable. Jacksonville I found to be 
nearly deserted, there being but a small portion of its inhabitants left— 
chiefly old men, women and children. From this town and neighbor- 
hood I bring with me several refugees ety about 276 contrabands, 
including men, women and children. 


The purpose of this expedition was not mentioned in the 
reports, but, evidently, it was to keep the St. Johns River 
open up to Jacksonville. 


Third Federal Occupation‘ 


Jacksonville was occupied by Federal troops the third 
time March 10th, 1863, this time by negro troops commanded 
by white officers, namely, First Regiment of South Carolina 
Volunteers (negro), Colonel T. W. Higginson, and a portion 
of the Second Regiment of South Carolina Volunteers 
(negro), Colonel Montgomery. These troops were later rein- 
forced by two white regiments, Eighth Maine and Sixth Con- 
necticut. 

On March 18th, General Finegan (C. S. A.), commanding 
near Jacksonville, issued the following proclamation: 


128 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


HEADQUARTERS DISTRICT OF EAST FLORIDA 


Camp near Jacksonville, March 13, 1863. 

I feel it my duty as brigadier-general commanding this district to 
inform the people of the district and of the State that our unscrupulous 
enemy has landed a large force of negroes, under command of white 
officers, at Jacksonville, under cover of gunboats. He is attempting to 
fortify the place so as to make it secure against attacks. The purpose 
of this movement is obvious and need not be mentioned in direct terms. 
It is sufficient to inspire the whole body of the people with a renewed 
and sterner purpose of resistance. I therefore call on such of the 
citizens as can possibly leave their homes to arm and organize them- 
selves into companies without delay and report to me. * * * 

Jos. Finegan, 
Brigadier-General Commanding. 


Whether General Finegan was correct in his supposition, 
hinted at in his proclamation, is answered in the report of 
General R. Saxton (U. 8. A.), dated March 14, 1863, as 
follows: 


The object of this expedition was to occupy Jacksonville and make 
it the base of operations for the arming of negroes and securing in this 
way possession of the entire state of Florida. It gives me pleasure to 
report that so far the objects of the expedition have been fully accom- 
plished. The town is completely in our possession and many prisoners. 
* * * It is my belief that scarcely an incident in this war has caused a 
greater panic throughout the whole southern coast than this raid of 
the colored troops in Florida. The negroes are collecting at Jackson- 
ville from all quarters. 


Immediately upon landing the Federals began to erect 
fortifications as though for permanent occupation. To guard 
the terminus of the railroad where it entered the town, 
Colonel Higginson caused two forts to be erected, one on the 
right of the railroad, named Fort Montgomery, and one on 
the left, Fort Higginson. The gunboats, being provided with 
heavy guns of long range, commanded the country for sev- 
eral miles around. The Confederate troops, under General 
Finegan, were stationed a few miles west of Jacksonville. 
They consisted principally of cavalry, or mounted infantry, 
and were poorly provided with artillery. 

Skirmishing began on the day following the landing of 
the Federal troops, and continued more or less until Jackson- 
ville was evacuated. General Finegan made no general 
attack upon the town, but confined his operations to a system 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 129 


somewhat similar to that followed during the first occupa- 
tion—attacking outposts, pickets, foraging parties, etc. 
There was some loss of life on both sides. Surgeon Meredith 
(C. S. A.) was killed on March 11th. 

On March 17th, Colonel McCormick (C. 8. A.), by direc- 
tion of General Finegan, notified Colonel Higginson to remove 
the women and chiidren from Jacksonville within 24 hours, 
or that after that time they would remain in the town on his 
(Higginson’s) responsibility. Colonel Higginson immediately 
_ordered his wagons to convey all those who wished to leave 
to the brick yard church, where they were met under a flag 
of truce by a Confederate escort. Thus all the women and 
children, except a few families, were removed from Jackson- 
ville and sent to Lake City. 

March 22d and 23d two white regiments arrived, Eighth 
Maine, Colonel John D. Rust, and the Sixth Connecticut, 
Colonel John L. Chatfield. Colonel Rust being the ranking 
officer took command of the troops here. 

Skirmishing now became more frequent and heavier. 
About this time Lt. T. E. Buckman devised the plan of mount- 
ing a cannon on a flat car, coupling on a locomotive and run- 
ning it down the track to within range of Jacksonville. The 
railroad battery became celebrated for its effectiveness. 
Francis Sollee, of Jacksonville, commanded this gun, and he 
was commended in the highest terms for bravery and skill 
in serving it. This battery figured also in the battle of 
Olustee afterward. 

The medical officer of the Eighth Maine describes the 
damage done by the railroad battery of the Confederates as 
follows:! 

Wednesday, March 25, 1863: At 3:30 this morning the rebels came 
down on the railroad and opened on the town with an 8-inch rifled gun. 
The first shot went through an unoccupied house next to our medical 
headquarters and exploded, turning us all out in a hurry. Just as I 
got out of doors the second one broke over our heads. The third one 
struck the roof of a house where a Union man and his wife were sleep- 
ing; the shell passed through the side of the house and imbedded itself 
eight feet in the ground without exploding. Several of us dug out the 
shell and found it to be an 8-inch rifle of English manufacture. They 
got seven of these shells into the town before our gunboats got a range 
on them, when they beat a retreat. 

After guard mounting this morning four companies of the Eighth 
Maine, three of the Sixth Connecticut, and three of the negro regiment 
started out to tear up the railroad track to prevent the rebels from 


130 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


getting near enough with their steam gun to shell us. We had a 4-inch 
rifle gun mounted on a small flat car and shoved it by hand. When four 
miles out we began to tear up the track and just then the rebels made 
their appearance down the track with an engine and a large 8-inch gun 
on a flat car and they at once opened on us. The first shot struck in 
the center of the track just short of where Captain McArthur and 
myself stood, exploded and a large piece of the butt of the shell 
ricochetted to the right, making a high curve, cut off the top of a tall 
pine tree, and fell into the ranks of Company I, Eighth Maine, who 
were marching in four ranks by the right shoulder shift on a piece of 
plank road. It struck the musket barrel of Thomas Hoole of Bruns- 
wick, Me., taking off his head. Passing to the next rank it took off the 
shoulder of Joseph Goodwin, of Lyman, Me.—he lived two hours. Pass- 
ing to the next rank it took off the leg below the knee of another man. 
I soon had the ambulance at work. Hiding the piece of shell under the 
plank road, turning over all the planks that had blood on them, and 
scattering soil over the spot, we very quickly obliterated all signs of 
anyone being hurt. We got back to town at 3 p. m., with no further 
loss. 


Evacuation and Burning of Jacksonville 


The Federal troops were withdrawn from Jacksonville 
for the purpose of taking part in the operations against 
Savannah and Charleston.« Describing the evacuation, the 
correspondent of the New York Tribune, writing from Jack- 
sonville under date of March 29, 1863, said: 


Before entering upon the details of this lamentable destruction of 
property, allow me to return to Hilton Head, which place I left last 
Thursday morning. At that time at an early hour, it was whispered 
around headquarters, although the utmost secrecy had been enjoined, 
that Jacksonville was to be evacuated by the soldiers of the National 
army, who had promised the loyal inhabitants protection and had 
assured them that the city would be held by our troops during the war. 
Desiring to visit this portion of the Department of the South before 
the grand expedition set sail, and also to witness the evacuation, I took 
passage on the steamer Boston and arrived here with the accompany- 
ing transports, the Convoy, the Delaware, the Cossack, and the Tillie, 
on Friday evening. 

At Hilton Head much surprise, indeed much indignation had been 
expressed the moment it was made known that we were to abandon 
this important point; not perhaps so much because it was important, 
but because so many loyal people would be utterly ruined by the move- 
ment. Arriving at Jacksonville, I called upon the leading officers and 
found that they, too, could scarcely restrain their indignation. It is an 
outrage, it is villainous, it will injure our cause terribly, were the most 
frequent expressions. It was in vain that one tried to demonstrate that 


— 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 131 


it was of the greatest importance at this moment that all the troops in 
this department should be concentrated for the grand conflict in 
Charleston or Savannah harbors. Either of these important cities 
taken, the whole state of Florida would be, as it were, flanked and the 
enemy compelled to abandon it instantly. 


Jacksonville was occupied on the 10th of March by a negro brigade, 
under the command of Colonel Higginson. What they achieved, and 
how admirably, I have already written you, up to as late a date as 
the 25th instant. Before alluding to the events of today, it remains 
for me to fill up the interval from the 25th to the 29th. Ten days ago 
General Hunter, upon representations made to him, not by Colonel 
Higginson, but by several loyal men of much influence, long residents 
of Florida, decided to reinforce Colonel Higginson with two regiments 
of white infantry—the Eighth Maine, Colonel Rust, and the Sixth Con- 
necticut, Colonel Chatfield. Colonel Rust, outranking Colonel Higgin- 
son, took command of all the forces in Jacksonville. Colonel Higginson 
had, by the severest labor his black troops could endure, so strengthened 
his position that he deemed himself sufficiently strong to hold Jackson- 
ville against all the forces the rebel General Finegan could bring to 
bear against it. 


The natural defenses of Jacksonville are very considerable. The 
only weak point was on the southwest, or in that portion of the city 
where the railroad enters it. To guard this point, Colonel Higginson 
erected two forts. To give range to the guns from these forts, a 
large forest of pine and oak trees had to be cut down and about fifty 
dwellings, mostly of an inferior class, destroyed. Fort Higginson not 
only commands the left of the railroad, but the approach on the south 
to Jacksonville, by the St. Johns River. All the work upon these forts 
was done by the black troops. I have seen about all the earthworks 
in Virginia, and do not hesitate to say that these hastily constructed 
works compare very favorably with the best ever thrown up by the 
Army of the Potomac. 

& * * * * * * 

I am now writing on the deck of the fine transport ship, Boston. 
From this upper deck the scene presented to the spectator is one of 
most fearful magnificence. On every side dense clouds of black smoke 
are seen. A fine south wind is blowing immense blazing cinders right 
into the heart of the city. The beautiful Spanish moss, drooping so 
gracefully from the long avenues of splendid oaks has caught fire, and 
as far as the eye can reach, through these once pleasant streets, nothing 
but sheets of flame can be seen, running up with the rapidity of light- 
ning to the tops of the trees and then darting off to the smallest 
branches. The whole city is being lapped up and devoured by this fiery 
blast.+ One solitary woman, a horse tied to a fence between two fires, 
and a lean, half-starved dog are the only living inhabitants to be seen 





TFrom his position on the river, this correspondent quite naturaliy obtained an 
exaggerated view of the fire. Fortunately, it was not as extensive as it appeared to him. 


132 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


on the streets. Is this not war, vindictive, unrelenting war? Have 
we gotten up to the European standard? 


* * x % H s > 


There must have been some understanding among the incendiaries 
with regard to the conflagration. At 8 o’clock the flames burst from 
several buildings in different parts of the city, and at a later hour still 
more were fired. The wind then rose to a stiff gale and the torch of 
the incendiary became unnecessary to increase the fire. * * * 


* * * The Sixth Connecticut charge it upon the Eighth Maine and 
the Eighth Maine hurl it back upon the Sixth Connecticut. 

Six o’clock p.m. Mouth of the St. Johns—a fierce northeast storm 
is raging upon the ocean. Gunboats and transports are lying here in 
safety waiting until it abates. Again we are witnessing a conflagration. 
Some of the soldiers have gone ashore and found a fine steam sawmill 
at Mayport Mills, said to belong to a Union man in Maine. Much indig- 
nation is expressed on board. 


In regard to the burning of the city, Dr. Alfred Walton, 
medical officer of the Eighth Maine regiment, wrote in his 
diary :! 


Sunday, March 29, 1863: Before we were ready to embark the boys 
began to set fire to the city and soon we had to hurry up for the smoke 
was getting rather uncomfortable. On my way down (to the wharf) 
I ran into St. Johns church and groping through the smoke and fire I 
took from the altar a large guilt-bound prayer book with the inscription 
on the cover “St. Johns Episcopal Church, Jacksonville.” Farther down 
on Market Street I entered a building that appeared to be some kind 
of office, (probably the Clerk’s office) and from the table or desk I took 
a manuscript map of the city of Jacksonville. Farther down I saw 
some negro soldiers setting fires and from their songs and shouting 
they appeared to be having a good time. 


*Dr. Walton returned the prayer book to St. Johns Church 
in 1866. The manuscript map he returned to the city in 1893./ 


About six blocks was the area burned over, destroying 
in the neighborhood of 25 buildings, including the Episcopal 
Church and the Court House. While reconnoitering from a 
position on the river, General Finegan saw that Jacksonville 
was on fire in several places and that the transports were 
being loaded with troops. He pushed on into the town, arriv- 
ing just after the departure of the last gunboat, but in time 
to extinguish the fire in some valuable buildings. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 133 


Fourth Federal Occupation/ 


On January 13, 1864, President Lincoln wrote General 
Q. A. Gillmore (U. S. A.), commanding the Department of 
the South as follows: “I understand an effort is being made 
by some worthy gentlemen to reconstruct a loyal State gov- 
ernment in Florida. I have given Mr. Hay a commission of 
major and sent him to you with some blank books and other 
blanks to aid in the reconstruction.” 

Elaborate plans were made, and an expedition of more 
than 20 vessels, gunboats and transports, carrying in the 
neighborhood of 7,000 troops, under the command of General 
T. Seymour, left Hilton Head, S. C., for Jacksonville before 
daybreak, February 6, 1864. This expedition arrived at the 
mouth of the St. Johns River early on the morning of the 
next day, crossed the bar and proceeded to Jacksonville. 
The transport Maple Leaf was the first vessel to reach the 
dock, and at 3:40 p. m. (7th) began landing troops. In a 
short time the other transports came up. There was a small 
Confederate picket, 20 men, in the town and they fired on the 
Hunter, one of the transports, and killed one man, but were 
immediately forced to retire by a cavalry company that had 
been hastily landed from the Maple Leaf. Later in the after- 
noon, the U. 8. gunboat Norwich went up to McGirts Creek 
to capture the St. Marys, a river steamer being loaded with 
cotton consigned to Nassau, N. P. Finding himself hemmed 
in, the commander of the St. Marys sank his vessel in 
McGirts Creek, and two days later it fell into the hands of 
the Federals. There was considerable friction between the 
Federal army and navy officials as to who should claim the 
prize, the army or the navy ; the official reports donot indicate 
how the question was settled. 

In his official report, General Gillmore states that the 
object of this expedition to Florida was: 

1. To procure an outlet for cotton, lumber, timber, tur- 
pentine and other products of the state of Florida. 

2. To cut off one of the sources of supplies for the Con- 
federates. 

3. To obtain recruits for his colored regiments. 

4, To inaugurate measures for the speedy restoration of 
the state to her allegiance. 

For the purpose of carrying out these plans, the bulk of 
the Federal army set out on the afternoon and evening of 


134 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


February 8th, on the march westward to Baldwin and Lake 
City. This movement culminated on February 20th, in the 
famous battle of Olustee, or Ocean Pond, where General Sey- 
mour was defeated by the Confederates under Generals Col- 
quitt and Finegan. Thus it seems that two clauses of Gen- 
eral Gillmore’s plans, namely 2d and 4th, were practically 
annulled in the very beginning, General Seymour having 
reported a day or so before that “I am convinced that what 
has been said of the desire of Florida to come back now is 
a delusion.” 

After its defeat at Olustee, the Federal army returned 
to Jacksonville. The churches and some of the largest houses 
were used as temporary hospitals. The floors were strewn 
with hay and on this the wounded soldiers were placed in 
rows, white and black side by side, as they were brought in 
from the front.* 

Fortifications were erected to strengthen the town 
against attack, and soon the arrival of reinforcements 
brought General Seymour’s army upto 12,000 men, splendidly 
equipped in every department. Among these troops were 
six negro regiments. 

The Confederate forces on February 26th occupied a 
position on McGirts Creek at a point where the wagon road 
and the railroad crossed the creek, ten or twelve miles west 
of Jacksonville. They were now under the command of Gen- 
eral W. M. Gardner, who, outranking General Finegan, took 
command after the battle of Olustee. Breastworks and 
stockades were erected at McGirts Creek, the post being 
named Camp Milton. Afterward, when the Confederates 
abandoned these works, the Federal officers spoke of them 
as magnificently constructed fortifications, beautiful in 
detail. March 6th, General J. Patton Anderson assumed 
command of the Confederate army near Jacksonville. At 
that time it numbered about 8,000 men, some of them poorly 
equipped. 

On March 1, 1864, General Henry (U.S. A.), with 500 
cavalry and 2 pieces of artillery, left Jacksonville for the 
purpose of making a reconnaissance in the direction of Camp 
Milton. The movement developed into quite a skirmish at 
Cedar Creek,} six miles west of Jacksonville, lasting from 
10 a. m. until 3 p.m. The Federal loss was one killed, four 
|) See 


¢There are several creeks near Jacksonville called Cedar Creek. The one here men- 
tioned is a branch of McGirts Creek, 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 135 


wounded, and five prisoners. The Confederates lost Captain 
Winston Stevens, killed; other casualties not reported. 

During March, Palatka was occupied by a strong force 
sent from Jacksonville, estimated by General Anderson at 
1,500 men. St. Augustine and the eastern side of the St. 
Johns were also in possession of the Federal army, together 
with the north side of the river below Jacksonville, with a 
battery at Yellow Bluff. There was constant and uninter- 
rupted communication between these posts and the base at 
Jacksonville until the navigation of the St. Johns River was 
made extremely hazardous by the Confederates, who, on the 
night of March 30, 1864, placed 12 torpedoes, each containing 
70 pounds of small-grain powder, in the river channel near 
Mandarin Point. 

At 4 a. m., April 1st, the U. S. transport Maple Leaf, 
returning to Jacksonville from Palatka with the camp equip- 
ment of three regiments, struck one of these torpedoes and 
sank in seven minutes. The Confederates then boarded her 
and burned her to the water’s edge. On April 16th, the 
Hunter, another U. S. transport, returning from Picolata 
with quartermaster stores, struck a torpedo and sank imme- 
diately, near the wreck of the Maple Leaf. One man was 
drowned. Again, on May 9th, the U. S. armed transport 
Harriet A. Weed was destroved at the same place, with the 
loss of five men. Thus within 40 days three vessels were 
destroyed at this point, with nine torpedoes still in the river. 
Farther up the river, at a place called Horse Landing, Lieu- 
tenant Letford, of Captain Dickison’s command, captured 
and burned the U. S. steamer Columbine, killing 25 and cap- 
turing seven commissioned officers, 9 seamen, and 47 
enlisted negroes, himself sustaining no loss whatever. 

On April 2, 1864, General Henry made another reconnais- 
sance in the direction of Cedar Creek, and in the skirmishing 
that followed had 8 men wounded. The Confederate casual- 
ties were not given in the reports. 

These forces, the greatest number mobilized in Florida 
during the war, remained facing each other until the middle 
of April, when heavy drafts were made on both Federal and 
Confederate armies in this vicinity, for service in the armies 
of Sherman and Grant, Lee and Johnston. Beginning with 
the 8th of April and continuing thereafter until the middle 
of May, transports loaded with Federal troops left Jackson- 
ville almost daily. The Federal forces in this vicinity were 


136 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


finally reduced to about 2,500 or 3,000 men, largely negroes, 
the bulk of which occupied Jacksonville. Afterward, rein- 
forcements came, but did not remain long. The Confederate 
troops began leaving April 14th, for assignment elsewhere, 
until only one regiment and two battalions of cavalry and 
three companies of artillery remained in East Florida. Gen- 
eral Anderson then changed his headquarters to Lake City, 
leaving in front of Jacksonville the Second Florida Cavalry 
and four companies of the Fifth Battalion Florida Cavalry, to 
oppose the overwhelming force in the strongly fortified posi- 
tion at Jacksonville. 

On the night of May 31-June 1, a force of 2,459 Federal 
troops left Jacksonville in two columns, to attack Camp Mil- 
ton. The small Confederate detachment occupying the post 
at that time was surprised and driven from Cedar Creek and 
Camp Milton back upon Baldwin. A portion of the works at 
Camp Milton was burned or otherwise destroyed, but the 
next day the Confederates advanced, skirmishing with the 
advance guard of the enemy, and reoccupied Camp Milton. 

Overwhelmingly outnumbered, this remnant of Florida 
cavalry performed miracles. It met and defeated raiding 
parties, one of which was almost annihilated in the streets 
of Gainesville by Dickison and his men, aided by citizens of 
the town; attacked and captured outposts and pickets; 
threatened the Federal communications on the St. Johns 
River, and was nearly successful in the attempt to obstruct 
the navigation of the river below Jacksonville in the vicinity 
of Yellow Bluff, by placing torpedoes and mines in the chan- 
nel. That these harassing tactics came near causing the 
evacuation of Jacksonville by the Federal army is indicated 
in the following communication from Federal headquarters 
at Hilton Head to General William Birney, commanding at 
Jacksonville, dated July 16, 1864, to-wit: 


I am instructed by the major-general commanding to inform you 
that the number of troops now in your command is considerably greater 
than that section of the department demands in a military point of view. 
If you cannot properly guard the St. Johns River you must prepare to 
make St. Augustine your base, keeping Jacksonville and Picolata as ad- 
vanced posts, if practicable. In case of immediate danger of the St. 
Johns River being rendered impracticable for navigation by reason of 
the enemy gaining possession of points along the banks or by reason 
of their planting a great number of torpedoes in the river, the com- 
munication from Jacksonville to St. Augustine must be by ferry across 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 137 


the river, which you must provide in season, and by land across the 
country. 


All of this was in face of the fact that Jacksonville at 
that time was protected by inclosed works, redoubts and 
lunettes, connected by rifle pits and manned with eight bat- 
teries of the most improved artillery. 

There was considerable skirmishing during the latter 
half of July in the neighborhood of Trout Creek, and near 
Baldwin and Camp Milton, which the Confederates again 
evacuated and reoccupied. By this time they had dwindled 
to 216 cavalry, 40 mounted infantry, and a battery of 4 guns. 
When a force comprising 3 negro regiments and 1 white 
regiment of infantry, 1 cavalry regiment, and 4 pieces of 
artillery was sent out from Jacksonville against Camp Mil- 
ton, the remnant of Florida troops permanently evacuated 
that post; this was on July 26th, 1864. Insofar as armed op- 
position was concerned, this ended the war in the vicinity of 
Jacksonville, but occasional Federal raiding parties continued 
to be sent down the State until the surrender in the spring 
of 1865. 

In the meantime, the question of Florida’s return to the 
Union was revived, although nothing ever came of it further 
than the calling of a convention by Unionists within the Fed- 
eral lines, to be held in Jacksonville in May, 1864, for the 
purpose of selecting delegates to the national convention 
soon to be held in Baltimore. Two delegates were appointed 
from St. Augustine, one from Fernandina, and three from 
Jacksonville. The Jacksonville delegation was: John W. 
Price, Paran Moody, and John 8. Sammis.* It will be remem- 
bered that a similar convention was held during the first 
Federal occupation of Jacksonville when the drastic ‘‘Decla- 
ration of Rights” was directed against the Southern people. 


Bibliography, Chapter XIII 

aMemoirs of Florida, Fleming; bQ. L. Keene in published account; cRecords of 
Florida Historical Society ; dStated by residents who were here at the time; eBook of 
Jacksonville, Paul Brown; fWar of the Rebellion—Official Records of Union and Con- 
federate Armies, Series 1, Vol. VI; g“Old Citizen” in Jacksonville Tri-weekly Sun, aa 
27,1816: Newspaper clipping ; iWar of the Rebellion, etc., Series 1, Vol. XIV; jDo, 
Vol. XXKV; kFlorida Gazetieer, Hawks, 1871; /Diary of A. Walton, medical officer 8th 
Maine Reg., pub. in Jacksonville Evening Telegram, Oct. 30, 1893; mFrom accounts 
published in the early local newspapers. 


138 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XIV 


REORGANIZATION AND RECONSTRUCTION 
(Political) 
Effort to Restore Civil Government 
(1865-1866) 


Judge William Marvin was appointed provisional gover- 
nor of Florida by President Andrew Johnson in July, 1865. 
On August 2, Governor Marvin addressed a meeting at Jack- 
sonville and the next day issued a proclamation, calling an 
election of delegates to a convention which would be em- 
powered to establish a new State government for Florida in 
accordance with the President’s amnesty proclamation. 
Some of the Southern people took the oath required and 
others secured the special pardons offered by it, so that the 
class of people entitled to vote in this election comprised 
Southerners as well as those that had sympathized with the 
North throughout the war; many were Republicans, but all 
were bona-fide white residents of Florida, as one of the re- 
quirements of the President’s proclamation was that the ap- 
plicant for registration must have had the qualifications to 
vote at the time the State withdrew from the Union.2 

The oath was taken by 7042 persons in Florida. The 
election was held in October and the convention of 56 dele- 
gates assembled at Tallahassee late in that month. The con- 
stitution adopted by this convention provided for an election 
in November following, for governor and other State and 
County officers, legislature, judges, and members of Con- 
gress. In the November election David S. Walker, of Talla- 
hassee, was elected governor. 

The Legislature elected in November met at Tallahassee 
in December, 1865. It was composed of the same class of 
citizens as those of the convention. Governor Marvin ad- 
dressed it with an appeal to lay aside revengeful feelings 
and institute a just and reasonable policy in the re-establish- 
ment of the State government. He was opposed to granting 
suffrage to the negro so soon after emancipation.? 

Governor Walker was now inaugurated, and in addressing 
the Legislature he recommended a policy of conciliation 
similar to that of Governor Marvin. He, too, was opposed to 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 139 


granting suffrage to the negro at this time. The Thirteenth 
Amendment was ratified and the negro was granted certain 
civil rights, but the Legislature did not enfranchise him.2 

The vital question before the Legislature in 1866 was the 
Fourteenth Amendment, which had already passed the na- 
tional Congress. Governor Walker recommended its rejec- 
tion, as it virtually disfranchised most of the intelligent 
people of the South. The Legislature refused to ratify it.? 

The record left by this body of men stands out against 
the screen of subsequent events as a conscientious effort to 
bring about the reorganization of the State government in 
the only sensible way. They saw with unclouded vision the 
chaos that would result if the negro were given the vote at 
this time, and their logic and foresight were thoroughly 
verified later. What they did was in accordance with the 
policy outlined by Abraham Lincoln and followed by Andrew 
Johnson, as was repeatedly pointed out by President Johnson 
in his numerous vetoes of Congressional Bills designed to 
bring about political upheavals in the South. 

The people of Florida were just becoming reconciled to 
the new state of affairs, when the State was invaded by the 
Freedmen’s Bureau under the protection of the armed forces 
of the United States. 


Freedmen’s Bureau 
(1865-74) 


The Federal Congress passed an act establishing the 
Freedmen’s Bureau in March, 1865, before the close of the 
war. The purpose of the legislation was to furnish pro- 
visions, clothing, shelter, and fuel to the needy and dependent 
freedmen and their families. One of the provisions of the 
act was the allotment of abandoned or confiscated land, 40 
acres, under special conditions, to worthy freedmen.* Out of 
this grew the famous “Forty acres and a mule” lure that was 
so often dangled before the eyes of the bewildered negro by 
his so-called benefactors, and always to his undoing. This 
act was to remain in force one year. 

Nothing much was done by the Bureau the first year; but 
in the meantime the halls of the Federal Congress were re- 
verberating with the thunder of radical leaders, who saw in 
this legislation the groundwork on which to build their ef- 
forts to force their doctrines on the South. So in February, 


140 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1866, just before the expiration of the original act, a Con- 
gressional amendment extended it indefinitely until repealed 
and also vastly enlarged the field of operations by the Bureau. 
It was made a branch of the War Department, with instruc- 
tions to establish military sub-districts in command of army 
officers to enforce its dictates. When the Bill was sent to 
President Johnson for signature, he vetoed it. He called 
attention to the fact that the South was making good prog- 
ress in re-establishing law and order, and he could see no 
necessity for virtually a military dictatorship here at that 
time, but Congress passed it over his veto. Thus was the 
South launched upon her decade of troubles, which were im- 
posed upon her, as we shall see, not in the spirit of patriotism, 
but purely from partisan motives. 

- Among theadded functions of the Freedmen’s Bureau was 
the establishment of Churches, schools, and other institu- 
tions for the freedmen in the South. On the face of it this 
was a worthy move, but it developed that these institutions 
became the means for the spread of pernicious social doctrine 
among the negroes. The ministerial brethren and the school 
teachers that came down from the North to minister 
to the moral and educational welfare of the freedmen, were, 
most of them, over-zealous people who lacked the ability to 
foresee the certain result of radical teachings at a time like 
this; and it was their work of attempting to put the negro 
on an equal social basis with his former master that pro- 
duced the bitterest and most dangerous influences of the 
time. 

As early as 1866, Jacksonville had three negro schools, 
four teachers and 530 pupils; and there was established at 
Magnolia Springs a hospital with a staff of several physicians 
and a number of nurses.° 

Operation of banks to care for the freedmen’s savings and 
teach them thrift, was another phase of the Bureau’s added 
activities. To start with, these banks were operated along 
legitimate lines with safe securities, but these were soon re- 
placed by worthless stocks and valueless mortgages. The 
Freedmen’s banks became the beacon lights that drew the 
unsuspecting darky into the fold, where he became the prey 
of the political machine officially called the Freedmen’s Bu- 
reau. The whole fabric degenerated into a wildcat scheme to 
defraud the negro, and it collapsed in 1874, when popular 
clamor in the North demanded an investigation of its affairs.* 








1874 
FREEDMEN’S BANK BUILDING 


(S. W. corner of Main and Forsyth Streets) 


SéJORBE 





The location is now occupied by Furchgott’s annex. The bank build- 
ing faced Main Street, then called Pine. To the right a glimpse of the 
three-story Tremont Hotel (where the Williams building is now) is 
obtained. Both buildings were destroyed in the fire of August 18, 1891. 
The oak trees at the left are at Forsyth and Laura Streets and the 
buildings beyond are dwellings where the Barnett National Bank is now 
situated. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 14] 


The larger of the two Freedmen’s banks in Florida was 
at Jacksonville—the other was at Tallahassee. The Jack- 
sonville bank opened its doors in March, 1866,° occupying of- 
fices at the corner of Bay and Ocean Streets, in the Hoeg 
building. In 1870 it was moved to a new four-story brick 
building at the southwest corner of Pine (Main) and For- 
syth Streets. This was ever afterward known as the Freed- 
men’s Bank building, until destroyed in the fire of 1891. 
About the time of its removal, the name was changed to Na- 
tional Savings and Trust Company. N. C. Dennett was the 
first cashier; he swindled a colored man, James Aberdeen, 
out of some of his money and was removed for incompetency. 
W. L. Coan was bank manager. Coan was continuously ac- 
tive in local politics and held a number of city offices.¢ This 
bank failed in June, 1874, with $39,400 on deposit and 1608 
depositors, nearly all negroes.? 

The Freedmen’s Bureau was the clearing house through 
which radiated most of the activities of the radicals. The 
failure of the Freedmen’s bank had an important bearing 
on the political situation here, since the unsophisticated 
negro then awakened to the fact that he had been swindled 
by an institution organized, as he supposed, for his protec- 
tion and welfare.” So increased the growing tide that came 
to flood in 1876, when George F’. Drew was elected governor, 
and the State returned to home rule.? 

This record of the Freedmen’s Bureau overlaps two 
other regimes, that, although backed by the same influences, 
and interwoven in a tangled maze with the activities of the 
Bureau, as weil as with each other, were yet distinct political 
phases and should be considered as such; namely, the so- 
called ‘reconstruction period” (1867-8) and the “carpet-bag- 
ger’ regime (1868-76). 


The “Reconstruction” Period? 
(1867-8) 


The act known as the “Reconstruction Act” was officially 
entitled ‘“‘An Act to provide for the more efficient govern- 
ment of the rebel States”. Alleging that no legal State gov- 
ernments or adequate protection for life and property existed 
in ten Southern States, including Florida, it provided for the 
division of those States into five military districts, under the 
command of army officers assigned thereto by the President, 


142 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


with undefined powers to reconstruct the State govern- 
ments. When so appointed, these commanders were em- 
powered with unlimited and absolute authority. They were 
endowed with legislative, judicial, and executive power. The 
President himself could give them no instructions. They 
could abolish charters, extend franchises, stay the collection 
of debts, levy taxes, impose fines and inflict penalties, author- 
ize the issue of bonds and the contraction of State indebted- 
ness, set aside the decisions of the courts, remove all officers 
and fill all vacancies without the form of an election, and try 
persons by commissions selected by themselves.f. 

President Johnson vetoed the Bill in toto, pointing out 
that it was an unconstitutional, unnecessary, and vicious 
piece of legislation. His criticism of it was a masterpiece of 
logic and truth. It was passed over the President’s veto 
March 2, 1867, thereby becoming an act of Congress. The 
iron heel was presumably now firmly upon the South, but 
Congress in its haste had not reckoned with the effect of 
placing the appointment of the district commanders in the 
hands of an honest man and true patriot. President John- 
son selected the fairest men in the Federal army to fill these 
posts. 

An act amendatory of the original act, likewise passed 
over the President’s veto March 23, 1867, defined the methods 
of reconstructing the State governments. Before registra- 
tion the applicant must have subscribed an oath that he had 
not participated, either directly or indirectly, in any rebellion 
against the United States, nor given aid or comfort to its 
enemies. This, of course, debarred most of the Southern 
white men, and at the same time admitted the freedmen to 
registration. After the completion of such registration an 
election should be held prior to September Ist, 1867, of dele- 
gates to a convention, the duty of which was the framing of 
a constitution for the establishment of civil government in 
the State. Provision was also made for the usual machinery 
of an election. Inspectors were required to take the “‘iron- 
clad oath’’.2 

In Florida the registration showed 11,148 whites and 15,- 
434 colored entitled to vote in accordance with the rules 
prescribed. The Convention met at Tallahassee January 





+“Union-Disunion-Reunion”, Cox, p. 480. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 143 


20, 1868. Of the 46 delegates comprising it, 48 were Re- 
publicans, and of these 18 were colored.» As might be ex- 
pected, the delegates soon split into factions, when there 
came about a “serio-comic presentation of politics’ the rec- 
ord of which makes history ludicrous. 


The constitution, known as the constitution of 1868, 
eventually framed by this convention, granted universal 
suffrage. It provided for election by the people of governor, 
lieutenant-governor, legislature, and constables; the judges 
and all other State officers were to be appointed by the gov- 
ernor and confirmed by the State senate. The legislature 
elected under the provisions of the constitution, met in June 
and ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. On July 4th, 1868, 
the ceremony of the transfer of government was accom- 
plished, from the military into the hands of the civil authori- 
ties, which proved to be the agents of the Freedmen’s Bureau, 
and a class of persons newly arrived from the North and 
called by the Southern people “Carpet-baggers’”’.? 


Florida was a sub-district of the Third Military District 
as constituted by the “Reconstruction” act. Colonel John T. 
Sprague was appointed the military governor of the State. 
His headquarters were in Jacksonville most of the time. 
Colonel Sprague was a gentleman of pleasant manners and 
conservative views, and though invested with autocratic 
power, he sought no opportunity to exercise it in a harsh or 
oppressive manner. He was not a stranger in this communi- 
ty, for he had been here before as an officer in the Seminole 
war, when he became acquainted with many of the residents. 
And now, when he saw the injustice heaped upon the South- 
ern people, he did everything that he could to lessen their 
burdens. Florida, indeed, was fortunate in having him as 
the military governor. The character of this officer was the 
softening factor in the relative lack of animosity of the local 
people toward the military, in contrast with their utter dis- 
trust of the Northern political forces operating here after 
the war. When the time came for the U. S. troops to leave 
Jacksonville, the Southern people here, sent a petition to 
Washington asking that they be retained for the purpose of 
protection.? 


144 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The “Carpet-Bagger” Regime 
(1868-1876) 


From the pen of Judge Jeremiah S. Black,+ of Pennsy)- 
vania, comes this description of the “carpet-bagger”, who he 
was and what he did:}7 


The people (Southern) would not have been wholly crushed (po- 
litically) either by the soldier or the negro, if both had not been used to 
fasten upon them the domination of another class of persons which was 
altogether unendurable. These were called carpet-baggers, not because 
the word is euphonius, but because they have no other name whereby 
they are known among the children of men. They were unprincipled 
adventurers who sought their fortunes in the South by plundering the 
disarmed and defenseless people; some of them were the dregs of the 
Federal army—the meanest of the camp followers; many were fugi- 
tives from Northern justice; the best of them were those who went 
down after peace, ready for any deed of shame that was safe and 
profitable. These, combining with a few treacherous ‘scalawags’,§ and 
some leading negroes to serve as decoys for the rest, and backed by the 
power of the general government, became the strongest body of thieves 
that ever pillaged a people. Their moral grade was far lower, and yet 
they were much more powerful than the robber bands that infested 
Germany after the close of the Thirty Years’ War. They swarmed over 
all the States, from the Potomac to the Gulf, and settled in hordgs, not 
with the intent to remain there, but merely to feed on the substance of 
a prostrate and defenseless people. They took whatever came within 
their reach, intruding themselves into all private corporations, assumed 
the function of all offices, including the courts of justice, and in many 
places even ‘ran the churches’. By force and fraud, they either controlled 
all elections, or else prevented elections from being held. They returned 
sixty of themselves to one Congress and ten or twelve of the most 
ignorant and venal among them were at the same time thrust into the 
Senate. 

This false representation of a people by strangers and enemies, 
who had not even a bona-fide residence among them, was the bitterest 
of all mockeries. There was no show of truth or honor about it. The 
pretended representative was always ready to vote for any measure 
that would oppress and enslave his so-called constituents; his hostility 
was unconcealed, and he lost no opportunity to do them injury. Under 
all these wrongs and indignities, the Caucasian men of the South were 
prudent, if not patient. No brave people accustomed to be free ever 





+Judze Black was a Union statesman and jurist, of the time and of the same State 
as Thaddeus Stevens. 


t7‘‘Union-Disunion-Reunion”, Cox, p. 624-5. 


§A Southern native white man who bolted the Democratic party and became a Re- 
publican after the war for the sole purpose of a selfish gain from politics, was called 3a 
“scaiawag’’, and in the eyes of the true Southerner he was a turncoat, a recreant to 
race. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 145 


endured oppression so peacefully or so wisely. * * * Southern men 
‘made haste slowly’ to recover their liberties. They could not break the 
shackles of usurped control; some of the links gradually rusted and 
fell away of themselves. The gross impolicy of desolating the fairest 
half of the country impressed itself more and more upon the Northern 
mind, with the result that an investigation was demanded of the Freed- 
men’s Bureau and its activities— 


which ended in the collapse of this political machine, the 
power that gave the carpet-bagger life. 


The following is only an incident, but it is typical: 


Yellow Bluff Fraud; 


Osborn, who was anxious to be returned to the United States 
Senate, determined to leave no stone unturned to secure as many mem- 
bers of the State Senate as possible, preparatory to the expiration of 
his term. Duval County, as well as Leon, had heretofore opposed from 
the beginning of reconstruction, Osborn and his whole gang. A Sen- 
ator must be had from this county at all hazards, the will of the ma- 
jority to the contrary notwithstanding, and this request of the chief 
was urgent and mandatory. The ring assembled in secret conclave in 
Jacksonville and discussed the probabilities and improbabilities of se- 
curing a nomination at the hands of the Republican nominating con- 
vention, by a free use of money and bad whiskey; and if that should fail, 
the next step was to secure John R. Scott, colored, who was one of the 
leading lights among the colored men of that county, and have him to 
understand that they were in favor of him, in order that if he was 
nominated for the Senate, they could more easily make a combination 
with the Democrats to defeat him and elect one after their own heart, 
Horatio Jenkins, Jr. Should they fail in this, or should the canvass look 
squally for them, then fraud upon the ballot box was to be committed 
and Jenkins counted in; and should they fail in this, Jenkins was to 
contest the seat of Scott by making a combination with the Democrats 
in the Senate, touching the safety of their minority in the Senate, and 
thereby oust Scott and seat Jenkins. As to the true intention of the 
conspirators, Scott was unaware. Let us see if they were successful in 
any of these propositions. 


John R. Scott, now ambitious for Senatorial honors, was worked 
up to fever heat to secure the prize. The convention met, and it was at 
once observed that W. H. Christy, white Republican, who did not belong 
to the Osborn gang, was the choice of the convention. The anti-ring 
delegates held a caucus, which was attended by Scott as one of them. 
Scott talked and advised with the other delegates, and assured them 
that he was with them for the nomination of Christy. He begged the 
caucus to make him chairman of the convention, which was done, and in 





¢*‘Carpet-Bag Rule in Florida”, John Wallace, p. 128-30. 


146 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


a few minutes the convention was called to order. Scott, as prear- 
ranged, was made chairman. Christy was nominated by one of the 
anti-ring delegates, and instantly the carpet-baggers Dockray, Jenkins, 
and Cheney presented the name of Scott as Christy’s opponent, as 
agreed upon before. The anti-ring delegates were astonished, and 
rushed to Scott to have him withdraw his name, but he did not seem to 
understand what they meant. Balloting commenced, and resulted in 
the nomination of Christy by a large majority, but Scott ruled that the 
resolution was unintelligible, and ordered a new ballot, which was had, 
and again Christy received a large majority. Some informalities, which 
Scott contended compelled him ito rule that the first ballot was unin- 
telligible, happened this time all right, but he ruled just the opposite to 
what he did before, so that a third ballot was ordered, which again re- 
sulted in the nomination of Christy. The ring now gave up the ghost 
and abandoned their proposition. Scott and Dan McInnis (both colored) 
were nominated for the Assembly. 

The ring, expecting that they would have Scott to deal with, 
when it turned out that they had Christy, hesitated for a while to at- 
tempt to defraud him at the ballot box, and invented another plan, and 
that was to get Jenkins to the lower house, which would give him in- 
fluence to be returned to the Legislature two years hence, and also to 
lead in the impeachment of Harrison Reed. A few days after the con- 
vention one of Osborn’s friends said to Dan McInnis, ‘McInnis, I am 
authorized by Colonel Osborn to say to you that if you will simply 
withdraw from your place on the Legislative ticket and let Jenkins go 
in your place, he will give you five thousand dollars, and give you also 
the regular pay; we do not ask you to take an active part in his 
favor.’ McInnis replied, ‘Tell Osborn to go to h—1 with his money; 
I have my trade to make my living from’. Having failed to defeat 
the will of the majority in these two efforts, they resorted to the Demo- 
crats for success. They entered into an arrangement with H. H. Hoeg 
and Miles Price, who were ambitious for Legislative honors, and mem- 
bers of the Democratic party, Hoeg and Price being backed by a very 
small minority of the Democrats of the county in the arrangement, to 
the effect that a ticket with Horatio Jenkins, Jr., for Senator, and H. H. 
Hoeg and Miles Price for the Assembly, should be run in opposition to 
the regular Republican ticket, Hoeg and Price to furnish the money to 
run the campaign, except $1000, which Jenkins was to contribute, 
which, according to the statement afterwards of Hoeg’s accountant, 
they did to over $4000. The Democrats, on the day of the election, 
pretty much all voted for Christy, as did the (conservative) Republi- 
cans; and according to the count, Christy, Scott and McInnis were 
elected by more than two-thirds vote of the county. The county board 
of canvassers (judge of probate, clerk, and a justice), after throwing 
out irregularities, etc., certified to the Secretary of State that the 
Christy ticket was elected by 825 majority. The day of the election, 
the ring, with what following they could muster, went down to Yellow 


Se 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 147 


Bluff} precinct, an obscure little village, to vote, thus laying the foun- 
dation for the fraud afterwards perpetrated. Yellow Bluff proper had 
about 80 votes, but the ring had invented a method by which a minority 
could be transformed into a majority without votes or the knowledge 
or consent of the voter. They waylaid the Inspector from this precinct, 
who had been intrusted with the ballot box to deliver to the County 
Clerk’s office, and getting him drunk, broke it open, took out and de- 
stroyed the returns made by the Inspectors and substituted one of their 
own manufacture, with votes for the other ticket to correspond with the 
return—the same being made to give Jenkins, Hoeg, and Price small 
majorities. Re-sealing the box, it was conveyed to the Clerk’s office, 
and the demand made for its count; but the canvassers failed to see it, 
and threw it out. 


When the legislature met, Christy took his seat, but he 
was permitted to hold it only three days, when he was ousted 
and Jenkins seated in his place.¢ 

The Osborn referred to was Thomas W. Osborn, who 
came to Florida as the head of the Freedmen’s Bureau in 
this State. He was the originator of the notorious “Lincoln 
Brotherhood” among the negroes.¢ 

Florida had her share of “carpet-baggers” and Jackson- 
ville her full quota. Most of them arrived between 1868 and 
1870, with military prefixes to their names, though many of 
them hardly knew the difference between a cartridge and a 
cannon ball. Some came as “professional” men. As a class 
their activities here were within the meaning of Judge 
Black’s general description. When it was clear that their 
day was drawing to a close most of the “carpet-baggers”’ 
packed their luggage and disappeared in the direction of the 
northern horizon. Some lingered awhile and then left. But 
few remained permanently.é 


All Northerners Not Carpet-Baggers 


To leave the mind impressed with the idea that every 
Northern man in Florida during this period was a carpet- 
bagger or an attache of the Freedmen’s Bureau would be 
gross injustice to those representing the conservative and 
best element of the North who came down seeking bona-fide 
residence and legitimate investment and pursuit; some of 
them were wealthy people seeking health. This type is 





{Now New Berlin. 


148 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


usually lost sight of in the overwhelming preponderance of 
political adventurers and fanatics; but it was here and the 
thread of its helpful influence is found woven into many of 
the enterprises that contributed heavily to the recovery of 
the State from the depression following the war. 


Bibliography, Chapter XIV 


a“Union-Disunion-Reunion, Three Decades of Federal Legislation”, S. S. Cox, 1885. 
The author of this work was a member of the U. S. Congress before, during, and after 
the war between the States; his information was first-hand and he writes from personal 
knowledge. b‘‘Civil War and Reconstruction in Florida’, W. W. Davis, 1910. c‘‘History 
of Florida”, G. R. Fairbanks. dStatements of old citizens who passed through this period 
in Jacksonville and Florida. d‘‘Carpet-Bag Rule in Florida, The Inside Workings of the 
Reconstruction of Civil Government in Florida after the Close of the War’’, John Wal- 
lace (colored), 1885. Though crude in expression this is a remarkable book; it covers 
in detail the subject indicated in the title. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 149 


CHAPTER XV 


REVIVAL OF BUSINESS 
(1865-1875) 


Let us go back to the end of the war and follow the prog- 
ress of the old residents of Jacksonville in the revival of 
their pursuits of life amidst the distracting influences of the 
“Reconstruction”, of which the preceding chapter is only an 
outline and a brief one at that. 

Upon the formal surrender of the Florida troops on May 
20, 1865, the different organizations of Confederates dis- 
banded and those that had enlisted from Jacksonville and 
their families began to return. The railroad from Baldwin 
to Jacksonville had been torn up and from that point many 
of them had to walk, ladies and children as well as men. To 
these returning citizens Jacksonville presented a heartrend- 
ing sight, as the desolating effects of war and decay were 
apparent on every side. The streets were littered with the 
trunks of trees that had been felled as a barricade against 
the Confederate cavalry which now and then came in close 
to the town. Ruins of buildings burned; broken-down fences 
and neglected yards; dilapidated appearance of once neatly 
painted dwellings—all were depressing to those who sought 
their former homes. And worst of all, the best and largest 
dwellings that had escaped the Federal burning in 1863, were 
occupied by United States officers and troops, in some in- 
stances by negro troops, and when the owners applied for 
possession, many of them learned that their property had 
been confiscated and sold, the purchasers in some cases being 
their former neighbors and false friends. Few of the ex- 
Confederates could provide for the immediate redemption of 
their property; with the most of them it was a question of 
keeping body and soul together, and they set to work build- 
ing cheap shelters for themselves and their families. There 
was but one sawmill in operation in this vicinity and lumber 
was sold at an exorbitant price; there was only one store in 
the town besides the suttlers’ stores. The former stores and 
warehouses on Bay Street were occupied for Federal army 
purposes as supply depots and some of them as barracks for 
the troops. 


150 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Jacksonville had been occupied continuously by Federal 
forces since February 7, 1864, and under their protecting 
wing many negroes had collected here from surrounding dis- 
tricts, expecting to be fed and clothed at the expense of the 
general government. The former residents on their return 
found their ex-slaves and servants walking the streets of 
Jacksonville imbued with the idea that they did not have to 
work. Their demeanor had changed, too, from one of respect- 
ful obedience to that of insolence, especially on the part of 
the women—not all, for some of the older generation re- 
mained faithful to their former masters and as elsewhere in 
the South were cared for through the coming years.¢ 

Confronted by all these conditions, business destroyed, 
property gone, and denied the rights of citizenship, these 
war-worn residents did not sink into a state of lassitude. In 
a patient, manly way they set to work to obtain a living and 
to collect what little remained to them after a desolating 
war. Little by little they got together what they could. In 
time a few of the old merchants brought in goods and opened 
stores. Business revival crept slowly onward during 1866 
and into 1867. With the peace the privately owned steam- 
boats that had survived crept from their hiding places and 
again appeared on the St. Johns. Several sawmills were now 
in operation, and here and there the hum of small industry 
could be heard.? Northern capital had already arrived seek- 
ing legitimate investment in lands and sawmills ;? tourists, 
too, braved the tedious journey south and began to come in 
numbers.? So it may be said by the fall of 1867, Jacksonville 
had started on the road to business revival. 


Military Occupation of Jacksonville 


After the close of the war the Federal troops were re- 
tained at Jacksonville for the purpose of maintaining order 
during the process of re-establishing the civil government in 
Florida. This had been practically accomplished when the 
amendment to the Freedmen’s Bureau act provided for their 
retention, and in 1867 the “Reconstruction” act delayed their 
withdrawal until the spring of 1869. Jacksonville, therefore, 
was continuously occupied by armed forces of the United 
States for four years after peace. 

The close of the war found principally colored troops here. 
The earthworks at the brick yard in West LaVilla were gar- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 151 


risoned by a negro guard. These negroes were zealous and 
pompous in challenging all comers that had to have passes; 
but their education was limited and an old Confederate pass 
or paper after “wise” scrutiny would usually be effective. 
There was a large garrison of white and colored troops in 
the southwestern edge of Brooklyn and companies of soldiers 
were also stationed in the city. Gradually company after 
company of the colored troops was withdrawn, until prac- 
tically none but white troops remained to patrol the town.¢ 

The white soldiers not only were not disposed to annoy 
or irritate the ex-Confederates, but in time seem to have 
developed a dislike for the colored citizens hereabout. On 
the night of February 26, 1869,‘ United States white troops 
formed into squads under sergeants and corporals and 
marched into town of their own accord. Wherever negroes 
were seen on the streets the command, “‘Halt; Ready; Aim; 
Fire!” was given. Within a short time the volleys could be 
heard in many places in the then small city. The frightened 
and fleeing negroes sought refuge in the woods and under 
the wharves, and the streets during the remainder of the 
night and the next day were bare of colored citizens.© The 
patrolling and shooting caused intense excitement. A negro 
was found dead on the sidewalk on West Bay Street near 
Hogan Street, but the soldiers said their cartridges were 
blanks and denied killing him. Sensational accounts were 
sent north about the affaire and soon afterward the military 
occupation of Jacksonville ceased, the last of the United 
States troops being withdrawn April 6, 1869.‘ 


Jacksonville in 1869 


The estimated population of the town was about 6,000, 
not including the suburbs. Riverside had just been platted 
and that with Brooklyn were the suburbs southwest of the 
city. LaVilla was immediately west, situated on an island 
formed by the courses of two creeks. East Jacksonville was 
then called Scottsville, and beyond that Wyoming. The 
hotels were St. James; Taylor House, corner of Market and 
Bay Streets ; Price House, close to the railroad depot ; Cowart 
House; Union House; Florida House; Rochester House; St. 
Johns House, together with four or five large boarding 
houses. These were all filled to overflowing in the winter 
months.? 


152 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 
ae 
In the period 1868-70, a great deal of building was done. 
The St. James Hotel was built. New railroad depot and 
wharves were erected, together with a number of dwellings 
of the better class. Besides these, many cheaper houses 
were built in LaVilla and Brooklyn. The river was beginning 


to look like old times with vessels at the lumber docks and ~ 


steamboats coming and going. On the whole the fall of 
1870 found Jacksonville going ahead in a business way. 


Fire of December 19, 1870 


About 7 p. m. December 19, 1870, fire broke out in a 
wooden building on the wharf back of Fairbanks’s store on 
the south side of Bay Street between Pine (Main) and Laura. 
The lower portion of the building was occupied by M. W. 
Drew as a grain and hay warehouse and the upper part by 
R. W. Davis who conducted a mattress factory. The fire 
started in the mattress factory and the building was soon 
a burning mass. The flames spread rapidly to the nearby 
buildings and with the exception of the Hazeltine building 
at the southeast corner of Bay and Laura Streets and the 
eastern half of a building at the southwest corner of Bay 
and Pine, everything from the south side of Bay Street to 
the river between Pine and Laura was destroyed. In the 
meantime the fire jumped across Bay Street and reduced to 
ashes everything in the block bounded by Bay, Laura, For- 
syth and Pine (Main), except the new Freedmen’s bank 
building at the southwest corner of Pine and Forsyth and 
one or two small houses at the other end of the block. Among 
those burned out were the ‘“‘Florida Union” newspaper plant, 
C. Drew’s book store and printing plant, S. B. Hubbard’s and 
R. T. Masters’s hardware stores.f Jacksonville’s Volunteer 
Fire Department, comprising several companies, had just 
been organized; this fire furnished a real test and it got 
away from them. 


The Fagan-Carlin Murder 


One Saturday night in the winter of 1871-2, Mr. and Mrs. 
Fagan left their home three miles northeast of the city to 
come into town for groceries, leaving their two little girls 
with Mrs. Fagan’s sister, Miss Rosa Carlin. Two young men, 
William C. and Henry Scott, boarded with the Fagan family. 





) 
| 
. 
i 
| 
| 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 153 


That night after the Fagans left the house the two little 
girls and Miss Carlin were murdered with an axe, for the 
purpose, it was supposed, of robbing a drawer of money 
secreted by Fagan, but known to the murderers. The Scott 
boys were arrested on circumstantial evidence. Blood spots 
on their clothing were analyzed by Dr. A. S. Baldwin and 
pronounced human blood. The trial lasted three weeks ; every 
day the court room on the third floor of the Freedmen’s bank 
building was crowded with spectators, for this murder had 
created a profound sensation throughout the community. 
J.P. C. Emmons, J. B. C. Drew, and B. B. Andrews were the 
prosecuting attorneys, while defending the case were J. J. 
Finley and W. R. Arno. These old-time lawyers were then 
in vigorous manhood and their arguments before the jury 
won wide distinction, especially that of Mr. Drew. T. T. 
Long was the judge, and H. H. Hoeg was foreman of the trial 
jury. The Scotts were convicted; William was hanged and 
his brother Henry was sentenced to life imprisonment, but 
he died in less than two years after the sentence. For many 
years this stood as the most sensational murder case in 
Duval County.¢ 


*In the past 60 years, record to 1924, there have been four 
legal executions of white men in Duval County, namely: 

William C. Scott, as recorded above. 

William Keen, hanged February 27, 1874, for the murder 
of William Valentine. The murder took place on a boat near 
Mandarin, Keen’s motive being robbery. 

Otis D. Smith, hanged July 11, 1909, for the murder of 
his sister in Jacksonville during a quarrel. 

Will Alexander, hanged May 3, 1912, for the murder of 
Jack Sumner in a barroom in Jacksonville. 


1872-1875 


Jacksonville in the period 1872-75 was described as a 
thriving little city. Bay Street was lined a portion of the 
way with creditable brick stores, two, and in a few cases, 
three ‘stories high, and the merchants carried good stocks. 
The principal industry was the lumber business. Except 
hay, grain, and lime nearly all of the goods sold here at that 
time came from New York. 


*A friendliness has always existed between Jacksonville 
and New York, both in business and in sentiment. When 
Jacksonville appealed for help in the yellow fever epidemic of 


154 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1888 and again after the fire that destroyed the city in 1901, 
the people of New York City responded with an open-hearted 
generosity that should never be forgotten by the people of 
Jacksonville—even in the years to come when the generation 
that knew those distressing calamities will have passed away. 


By 1875, three large hotels had been built here and about 
every fourth house was a boarding house. The railroad 
accommodations were two incoming and two outgoing pas- 
senger trains daily. Published here were two weekly, one 
semi-weekly and two tri-weekly newspapers. <A lot on Bay 
Street in the business part of town was valued at $10 a 
front foot.¢ 

The financial panic that swept the country in 1873 was 
felt in Jacksonville and there was a slowing-down in business 
for a while, but principally in the lumber business. The mills 
did not close, but their output was much reduced. Though 
building on a small scale continued, capital held back await- 
ing the restoration of confidence.” This came in 1874-75 
when began the remarkable era of hotel building to care for 
the constantly increasing tourist travel. In this period new 
industries were introduced and wholesale houses carrying 
large stocks of groceries, provisions and dry goods were 
established. 

At the close of 1875 most of the Southern residents had 
gotten on their feet again in a business way; the prostration 
following the war had about disappeared in this respect, but 
the political situation was still controlled by alien politicians. 
The Congressional election of November 8, 1874, shows how 
Jacksonville stood politically at that time, when Joshua T. 
Walls (negro) polled 956 votes against 492 for J. J. Finley, 
Southern Democrat and prominent Floridian. This vote 
included East Jacksonville and LaVilla. The final awaking 
of the negro with respect to the Freedmen’s Bureau activities 
and his consequent waning interest in political matters fur- 
nished an opening for the Democrats for the restoration of 
home rule. This was accomplished in large measure by the 
elections in 1876. 


Bibliography, Chapter XV 
aAs stated by residents whose information was first-hand ; bReports of Col. John T. 
Sprague; cW. W. Douglass, resident of Jacksonville; dFlorida and the South, Brinton; 
ePublished account by “Old Citizen” in 1876; fRecords of Dr. A. S. Baldwin; gNews- 
paper account; hLocal press of the period; iDate furnished by U. S. War Department. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


PART II 
CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD 1876 TO 1924 


The importance of a local event is largely relative to the 
population of the place; occurrences that 40 years ago shook 
the town with excitement would maybe pass today without 
general notice by the city. 

Part II is a chronological record of outstanding events 
in the life of the town and the city; it is not a parade of 
excitements, calamities, fires, and set-backs, but a record of 
those unusual events and epochs that cannot be assembled 
under subject heads for chapter order, though of sufficient 
importance to the period in which they occurred to become 
a part of Jacksonville’s history. 

This record, except where otherwise indicated, was ex- 
tracted from the local newspapers forming almost a complete 
chain from 1876 down to date, all of which have been ex- 
amined, namely: 


Tri-weekly Sun, January to July, 1876. 

Sun and Press, June, 1877, to May, 1878. 

Florida Dispatch, January, 1879, to November, 1881. 
Daily Times, November, 1881, to February, 1883. 
Times-Union, February, 1883, to June, 1887. 
News-Herald, July to December, 1887. 

Times-Union, January, 1888, to January, 1892. 

Evening Telegram, February, 1892 to March, 1894. 
Evening Times-Union, March, 1894, to September, 1897. 
Evening Times-Union and Citizen, September, 1897,to January, 1898. 
Times-Union and Citizen, January, 1898, to January, 1903. 
Times-Union, January, 1903, to December, 1924. 


The dates in the following pages are those of occurrence, 
and not of the newspaper from which the account was taken; 
the published account will usually be found in the first issue 
afterward. 


156 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1876 


February 4: Lloyd Brown (colored) was legally hanged 
for wife murder. He was captured at Baldwin after the 
murder and brought to Jacksonville. The day he was brought 
in the streets were lined with excited negroes, who united in 
shouting threats against the prisoner, and some went so 
far as to try to drag him from the hack that was taking him 
to the jail. It was an exciting demonstration and the officers 
had a difficult time in landing Brown safely behind the bars. 


February 22: First State fair ever held in Florida opened 
in Jacksonville. The fairgrounds were two miles northeast 
of the city. Ferry boats carried the crowds to and from the 
exhibition. It was a success from every standpoint and did 
much toward advertising Florida products. 


April 1: A negro barber by the name of DeLyon at- 
tempted to cut Officer Nolan with a razor, and the officer shot 
him in self-defense. The negroes about town became excited 
over the affair and began to congregate in large numbers on 
Bay Street near Ocean. Several serious rows occurred dur- 
ing the day, in one of which a white man was severely beaten. 
The police finally arrested about a dozen of the ringleaders, 
together with many others and both the city and the county 
jails were filled with prisoners. That night was one of much 
concern, as the negroes threatened to burn the town. Mem- 
bers of the fire companies and scores of determined citizens 
stationed themselves in different buildings prepared to meet 
an emergency, but the night passed without serious conse- 
quences and no further demonstrations of a threatening 
character were made. 


April 4: John Dunn, a white boy 17 years old, was ar- 
rested as the firebug that had been active in the city for some 
time, setting fire to residences, outhouses, etc. He was tried, 
convicted, and sentenced to 12 years at hard labor in the 
State penitentiary. 


May 27: A plot to defraud the city by means of reissue of 
canceled coupon bonds was revealed. A Dr. Koch obtained 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 157 


1876 


access to a safe containing the coupons and secretly took 
$1,600 of the canceled paper. He erased the cancelation 
marks so completely that it was only by accident and through 
the aid of a magnifying glass that the fraud was detected. 
These coupons he sold to different parties in the city. When 
the plot was discovered Koch fled, but was afterward cap- 
tured in Gainesville. 


July 4: With the firing of 37 cannon-rounds at sunrise, 
representing the number of States then in the Union, the city 
began a day of hilarity and patriotism characterized by 
street parades, patriotic speeches, and sports, followed at 
night by dancing, fantastic parades and general jubilees. 
Thus Jacksonville celebrated the 100th anniversary of the 
Declaration of Independence. 

Writing in 1876, the editor of the Jacksonville Tri-weekly 
Sun and Press published the following editorial in his paper: 

“The past three years have not been very prosperous to 
business men or the country at large. They have been dis- 
tinguished by panics in the money market and depressions 
in all kinds of business; by failures, and by want of confi- 
dence in moneyed institutions. But this city shows a steady 
growth in spite of the hard times north. To supply the 
demand for additional acommodations on the river, two new 
steamboats were put on for the winter. The Pastime, a nice 
river steamer, came here from the North and ran regularly 
to Tocoi to connect with the St. Johns railway to St. Augus- 
tine. The David Clark was built two years ago and is now of 
Brock’s line. The manufacture of lumber during the hard 
times has been less than formerly; besides one mill was 
burned last summer—that of Eppinger, Russell & Co. Still 
the local trade has been sufficient to keep most of the mills 
running during the dull sale of lumber north. Many places 
on Bay Street where unsightly old rattle-traps stood have 
yielded to the progress of events and brick buildings have 
been erected on the ground where they were so much of a 
nuisance.” 


Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1877 


Rumors of a suspicious fever in Fernandina reached 
Jacksonville in August, 1877, whereupon the authorities sent 
a representative there to ascertain the facts. He was told 


158 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


that no suspicious cases were under treatment, but the infor- 
mation he gained was sufiicient to arouse his suspicion and 
upon his return to Jacksonville a quarantine was declared 
against Fernandina on August 81. Yellow fever was declared 
prevalent in Fernandina the first week of September. Some 
of the more timid people leit Jacksonville at that time. The 
fever spread rapidiy in Fernandina, thence along the coast of 
Georgia and South Carolina, and to Baldwin and other towns 
near Jacksonville. Armed guards were placed around Jack- 
sonville on September 17, to prevent people coming in from 
the infected districts. The health authorities issued daily 
bulletins stating that no case of yellow fever existed in the 
city and the extreme nervous tension of the residents was 
relieved somewhat. Early in November Jared H. Keen died, 
when it was publicly charged that yellow fever existed in 
the city, and on the 15th the Board of Health issued this 
bulletin: 


Jacksonville, Fla., Nov. 15, 1877. 
Hon. W. Stokes Boyd, 
et Mayor and Pres. Board of Health. 
ir: 

Within the last two weeks a number of cases of fever have occurred 
in and around the city, principally in the western suburb south of the 
“Pond”, and in the neighborhood of the Waverly House. Several of 
these have proved fatal. Drs. Mitchell, Sabal, Knight, Holt, Fernandez, 
and myself have had one or more cases. 

Our duty to the authorities, the community, and ourselves compels 
us to recognize the undoubted features of yellow fever in these cases. 
We have conscientiously withheld this fact from the public up to this 
time, earnestly hoping and trusting that the late period of fall would 
give us such a temperature ere this as would have stamped out all 
fevers, and feeling that a few additional days of exposure would by 
no means jeopardize the health of this community as much as would 
the probable panic and its consequences if our convictions had been 
made public. 

And now whilst we have no right longer to withhold the truth we 
still sanguinely hope that a few additional days of risk will carry us 
out of danger. R. P. Daniel, 

Pres. Duval Co. Medical Society. 


This bulletin appeared in the local newspaper on the fol- 
lowing day, and it caused a wild panic among the people. 
All who could, left the city. Intense excitement and con- 
fusion prevailed, and only the lateness of the season pre- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 159 


vented a complete paralysis of business. Fortunately the 
demoralization did not last long as the temperature fell to 
freezing on November 30—in those days it was thought that 
freezing weather killed the yellow fever microbe. Then the 
people returned and resumed their usual occupations. The 
Board of Health recorded 22 deaths from yellow fever in 
this epidemic. 


1877 


December 10: Jacksonville Lodge No. 287, Order of Benai 
Bareth installed by Isaac Steuerman of Eufaula, Ala., with 
P. Walter, president; Jacob Huff, vice-president; H. Weis- 
kopf, treasurer. 


December 30: Destructive fire at the corner of Union and 
Hogan Streets. Six dwellings were destroyed and for a 
time it was feared that all that portion of the town would 
burn. 


1878 


January 18: The first telephone in Jacksonville and prob- 
ably in the State of Florida, was put in operation. It was a 
private line connecting the office of A. M. Beck at Bay and 
Pine (Main) Streets with the Inland Navigation Company 
at the foot of Laura Street. 


January-March: A band of swindlers and bunco men 
infested the city, fleecing strangers at every opportunity. 
They established headquarters in various buildings and the 
city authorities seemed unable to break them up. The news- 
papers warned the public and published columns concerning 
their operations. Owing to this publicity they finally left, 
but returned each winter for several years. 


March 11: Daring robbery at Carleton Hotel. Consid- 
erable money and a large amount of jewelry was stolen from 
guests’ rooms. On the next night the St. James was robbed 
in a similar manner and on the night of the 22d Wm. Mack 
was caught trying to rob the Windsor. He was fined $50 
and 29 days in jail. 


March 25: Captain James B. Eads entertained at a ban- 
quet at the Yacht Club. He was here to confer with the 


160 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1878 
citizens in regard to the building of jetties at the mouth of 
the river. 


October 24: State Park Association incorporated with a 
capital of $100,000. Stock was subscribed by 41 prominent 
citizens. Articles of incorporation approved December 2, 
1878. The purpose of the association was to promote the 
agricultural, horticultural and industrial interests of the 
State of Florida and to prepare and keep in order suitable 
buildings and grounds in the vicinity of Jacksonville for the 
permanent exhibit of the products of Florida. 


1879-1881 


This was an epochal period in the history of Jacksonville, 
for it was the beginning of the transportation development 
that made this city the gateway to Florida. Two main causes 
attracted this development, namely, the tourist travel and 
the orange industry of the St. Johns River section. 


The Tourist Travel 


The tourist travel to Florida had grown constantly during 
the decade 1870-1880, each winter season showing a large 
increase in visitors. The journey south was a tedious one 
and when the final change of cars was made at Live Oak 
and the last lap finished over the Florida Central into Jack- 
sonville, the tired tourist breathed a sigh of great relief. The 
hotels were here to take care of him, but even in that day 
they were often filled to overflowing. Jacksonville was head- 
quarters. The side trips were up the St. Johns and Ockla- 
waha Rivers, or to Tocoi, thence to St. Augustine. The 
circuit was a small one and he soon returned to Jacksonville 
for the winter. 

Jacksonville was a winter city four times its summer 
size; it was known in those days as “The Winter City in 
Summer Land”. Its municipal attractions were few and the 
whole interest of the tourist seemed centered in the climate 
and the fact that he was in Florida. The hotels and the 
steamboats got a considerable portion of the tourists’ spend- 
ings, but they did not get it all. The figures are not available, 
but large sums were spent here in what may be called the 
romance trade. On Bay Street were bazaars and stores filled 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 161 


with souvenirs—ornaments and jewelry of alligator’s teeth, 
coral and seabeans; sea-shells in theit vatural and polished 
state; palmetto products, wood carvings and canes, and every 
other thing of strange and grotesque fashion. It was the 
age of souvenirs and the tourists bought them freely. 

Florida even then was America’s playground, for this 
was some time before California appeared as a competitor. 
The only drawback was getting here and H. B. Plant was the 
first to hear the cry. 


The Orange Industry 


Orange trees were planted by the early settlers of the 
lower St. Johns country years before the thought of putting 
the business on a commercial basis arose. Orange trees, 
grown from seed, were planted around the homes more espe- 
cially for ornamentation and the fruit for home consumption. 
By 1835 a number of small groves had come into bearing 
when the severest freeze ever known in Florida (February, 
1835) “destroyed the trees so completely that every one was 
disgusted”. However, “‘in 1838-39-40, a widespread orange 
craze broke out along the lower St. Johns, but the fever was 
killed out by an insect”. No further attempt at orange cul- 
ture was made until after the War Between the States. 

Between 1868 and 1873, quite a number of wealthy North- 
ern men came to Florida and developed estates on the St. 
Johns River as winter homes. . Most of them planted orange 
trees and some set out extensive groves. Among these was 
Frederick DeBary, who afterward established the DeBary 
Line of river steamboats famous in its day. A succession of 
favorable winters enabled these trees to come into bearing 
without setback and in the period 1879-81 the orange indus- 
try along both sides of the St. Johns had grown to consid- 
erable proportions. The means of transportation of the fruit 
was out of Jacksonville by the line of railroad to Live Oak, 
thence in a roundabout way under conditions of great un- 
certainty and delay; or by small steamer to Savannah or 
Charleston. ) 

The first direct line of railroad from the North was the 
“Waycross Short Line’, built in 1881 by H. B. Plant. At the 
riverfront terminus east of the present Broad Street viaduct 
a spur was run out on a wharf where fruit was loaded directly 
intothecars from the river boats; this was an advantage that 


162 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


was extensively advertised at the time. Likewise in 1881, 
the Jacksonville & Fernandina Railroad was built to connect 
Jacksonville with the deep-sea port of Fernandina as a bid 
for some of this river trade. The Mallory Steamship line 
had been operating a vessel to Jacksonville for two years; 
this service was discontinued with the opening of the Fer- 
nandina Railroad. 

This was the beginning of the competitive railroad con- 
struction that afterward made Jacksonville one of the most 
famous railroad terminals in the United States. 

Along with the coming of the railroads the preliminary 
work for deeper water was started at St. Johns bar when 
the jetty work began. Thus both rail and water transpor- 
tation to Jacksonville grew side by side under the same 
impelling circumstances—trade and tourist travel. 


Mill Riot of 1880 


On June 23, 1880, a labor disturbance broke out at Alsop 
& Clark’s mill on East Bay Street near Hogans Creek, among 
the negro hands who demanded shorter hours of work. That 
night five extra policemen were sworn in and sent to the mill 
to protect the property from firebugs, and on the 25th two 
more were added. On the 26th Joe Nelson, a negro police- 
man, was killed by Ben Byrd, one of the negro strikers, and 
the situation assumed a serious aspect. Following the shoot- 
ing of Nelson, W. C. Cooper, captain of the city police, and 
John Keefe, a patrolman, went on duty at the mill. They 
remained all night. Early the next morning a mob began to 
mass at the bridge farther up Bay Street. Keefe saw Cap- 
tain Cooper advancing alone toward the mob and at once 
determined to share the danger with him. Upon the approach 
of the two officers the mob fell back from the bridge and took 
shelter in the weeds and behind slab piles. The moment the 
officers reached the bridge the negroes opened fire upon them 
with pistols, rifles and shotguns. One of the mob had a 
Spencer rifle, but the man had his sights too high and the 
bullets went over the officers’ heads. Keefe saw a negro 
drop to one knee and let drive both barrels of a shotgun at 
him. Half a dozen buckshot struck his shirt aslant, made 
black dints in it and glanced off ; however two buckshot pene- 
trated the flesh and came out two or three inches beyond. 
The charge of buckshot spun Keefe around and burnt him 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 163 


like fire, but he charged on the man with the shotgun, 
knocked him down with his club and carried him to jail—the 
negro afterwards got five years. The negroes fled before 
the advancing officers. There was no more bloodshed, and 
quiet was restored and the negroes went back to work on 
June 30th. 

During this trouble the First Florida Light Artillery 
(Wilson’s Battery), the only military organization in the 
town, was held in readiness at its armory; however the 
emergency passed without its services being needed. The 
reorganization of the Jacksonville Light Infantry in the 
following September was the outgrowth of this riot. 

Ben Byrd, who shot Officer Nelson, was hanged. 

In the period 1879-81, the first steps were taken in muni- 
cipal improvements—waterworks and sewers. The founda- 
tions of some of Jacksonville’s present important institutions 
were laid. Politically there was a recrudescence of local 
Republican rule when Peter Jones was elected mayor in 1879, 
though it was not as bitter as in the “‘carpet-bagger’”’ days. 


1882 


The year 1882 afforded much in the way of political 
excitement. The existing Sunday closing law (referring to 
saloons) was the bone of contention in the municipal election, 
when, according to the editor of the Daily Times, ‘‘the 
Churches and temperance people of the town exerted their 
utmost strength to elect the present city government. After 
the election a repeal of the Sunday law was proposed in the 
council and the Churches united in a grand mass-meeting to 
denounce the attempt. The bill was defeated and the excite- 
ment abated’’, but was revived again in the fall. 

Trouble started when the Republicans attempted to secure 
the appointment of Lemuel W. Livingston (colored) as cadet 
to West Point from Florida. A wave of indignation swept 
over Jacksonville, and there were numerous rallies by the 
Democrats, the Republicans, and the negroes. The Demo- 
crats denounced the attempt in strong language and for a 
time the incident threatened serious consequences. Living- 
ston failed in his preliminary examination, however, and his 
appointment was not confirmed. 

Yellow fever broke out in Galveston, Pensacola, New 
Orleans, Memphis and other places during the summer, 


164 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1882 

necessitating the establishment by Jacksonville of a rigid 
quarantine. Quarantines in those days were serious handi- 
caps to the business of a place, and its effect in Jacksonville 
in this case was especially felt in the delay of incoming ship- 
ments of building material for the construction work under 
way. The brick supply became exhausted and all work on 
brick buildings ceased for some time. 

Evidently the editor of the Daily Times was not satisfied 
with all of the conditions in Jacksonville, for he wrote in 
December: “‘Outside of our hotels there is nothing in Jack- 
sonville exceedingly attractive. We havea barn of an opera 
house; our roads are not as good as they were ten years ago; 
we have a yacht club without yachts, the requisite of becom- 
ing a member of which is not to understand how to sail a 
yacht, but to know how to dance the latest dances. Bay 
Street is the same old mud hole in wet weather that it always 
was, and our sidewalks are still marvels of dangerous con- 
trivance. If we are not sleeping, let us wake up and do some- 
thing to retain for Jacksonville its popularity as a ‘Winter 
City in Summer Land’.” 


December 2: River steamboat Volusia destroyed at her 
dock at the foot of Newnan Street as a result of boiler explo- 
sion. The force of the explosion was so great that buildings 
in the business section rocked and hundreds of windows in 
the neighborhood were shattered. The disaster created in- 
tense excitement. Several persons were injured, but no one 
was killed. The Volusia was built in Jacksonville in 1872, at 
a cost of $11,000. She was owned and commanded by Cap- 
tain T. W. Lund. 


1883 


February 12-17: Florida State Fair held at the fair 
grounds in Fairfield. 


February 17: Wrestling match between D. C. Ross and 
Thiefaud Bauer, for the Graeco-Roman championship of the 
world and for a medal offered by the Police Gazette. The 
decision was to be for the best two out of three. Ross was 
victorious in 45 minutes. The second bout took place on 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 165 


the 21st. Ross was victorious in 29 minutes and was awarded 
the laurels. 


Smallpox Epidemic, 1883 


March-June: About the middle of March, a negro sailor 
from New Orleans came ashore and stopped at a tenement 
house at Cedar and Forsyth Streets. He was sick at the 
time with smallpox, but before a diagnosis was made several 
colored people visited the place and contracted the disease. 
It spread and became a serious epidemic. 

The first bulletin of the Board of Health appeared in the 
newspapers of April 7th; it stated that smallpox existed in 
this city, and that up to that time there had been 25 cases, 
all among colored people. The disease continued to spread 
and the Board of Health ordered compulsory vaccination 
April 11th, when hundreds of people were vaccinated. Within 
a few weeks there had been 45 cases (only three of whom 
were white) and 24 deaths, which represented a mortality of 
53 per cent. During the first few weeks the disease was 
confined almost entirely to the colored people, but then it 
got a foothold among the white people. Rumors, some true, 
some partly so, but the majority false, were circulated about 
the conditions existing in Jacksonville, alarming the sur- 
rounding towns to such an extent that they quarantined 
rigidly against this city. Criticisms of the methods of the 
Board of Health and suggestions on the part of laymen com- 
plicated the situation. 

The epidemic abated somewhat in the early part of May, 
but a cool spell about the 23d was followed by a fresh out- 
break, and it was not until the first week in June that the 
epidemic was considered at an end. During the latter part 
of the epidemic the mortality was not as great as it was at 
first. In all, 180 cases were treated, with a mortality rate 
of over 30 per cent. 


1883 


July 19: At noon, the telegraph operators in this city 
walked out on strike. The entire force of six operators and 
one clerk went out, leaving only the manager. They were 
striking for more pay and shorter hours. It lasted several 
weeks and the operators derived but little benefit from it. 


166 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1883 

The agitation concerning the Sunday closing law was 
brought over into 1883. In February, the editor of the 
Times-Union wrote: 

‘For months the saloons in this city have been reaping 
their great Sunday harvests, open to the eyes of all the 
world. Within a few weeks gulled Church people who have 
vehemently denied the palpable fact have been led to make 
for themselves the discouraging discovery”. The editor then 
goes on with a list of saloons found open and publicly doing 
business on the preceding Sunday, and concludes: “and the 
solemn chime of Sabbath bells mingles in unison with the 
gurgle of whiskey decanters and the chink of busy glasses; 
while the sun shines down upon worshippers thanking God 
that the Sunday law is obeyed, and upon scenes of Sunday 
violation and debauchery. Happy liquor dealers! Happy city 
government! Happy people!” On October 21, 1883, there 
was a wholesale raid by the police on the violators of the 
Sunday law. Many arrests were made and the violators 
were brought before the mayor and fined, generally $10 each. 

The agitation of the Sunday closing law was extended to 
include the city’s affairs in general. Criticism and comment 
on the part of citizens and newspapers were so persistent 
that an investigation was ordered by the council. 

The financial report of the investigating committee re- 
vealed facts as follows: 


DR. 
Sanitary Improvement Bonds (1878)......... $230,000.00 
Old Railroads (F. A. & G. C., 1857).......... 12,400.00 
Old‘Warrant account sole. oerss con eee ieee 5,985.00 
New | Warrantiaccounts Wo c ee ee esis eee 19,378.11 
J. M. Schumacher judgment................- 1,975.00—$269,733.11 
CR. 
Oash On Nandy iil sterelaut cine sete ieliay erereteins $ 11,393.65 
Taxes and other sources.......ccccccscecsce 90,868.21 
City) DEODGICY | siden Siciiie nies re ete A aes 3,000.00—$105,261.86 
Balance ye te re RE ST Se Li career ae eee $164,471.25 


A separate report was made for the waterworks: 


“Our unpaid bills on the 30th of June (1883), amounted 
to $1,511.46. They now (Nov. 15th) amount to $2,102.05. If 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 167 


1883 

the receipts and expenses are the same for the current year 
as last, the deficiency on the Ist of June, 1884, will be 
$4,146.31. There were, however, some extraordinary ex- 
penses incurred the past year which we hope to avoid the 
present year, and the receipts are steadily increasing, so that 
we may be able by close economy and an appropriation of 
$2,500 from the city, to operate to July 1, 1884.” 

The result of all this agitation was to create a spirit of 
retrenchment in the city’s finances, and the retrenchment 
began as usual by reducing the police force. 

Although the year was a most disturbing one for the 
politicians, private enterprises and business in general went 
right ahead. The movement of real estate was rather active. 
The Times-Union in November, published the following: 
“The number of buildings compieted since June, or now in 
course of construction is 83; rooms added, 404; one paint 
shop; one blacksmith shop;one palmetto factory ; one library ; 
one school house, barns, stables, etc., in the construction of 
which $178,860 was expended. The statement includes all 
buildings within the territory bounded by Hogans Creek on 
the east and north, west by Clay Street, and south by the 
river. If the suburbs were added the list would be almost 
double. Yet with the increase, we have not enough accom- 
modations even for our own people. Last winter saw people 
begging shelter at any price, and even now houses for rent 
or lease can scarcely be found.” 

In October, the contract was awarded for building the 
Jacksonville and Atlantic Railway to the Beach, the prime 
movers in the enterprise being Jacksonville men. 


1884 


January 23: Opening reception of the Jacksonville Club, 
one of the principal social events of the year. The club was 
incorporated during the preceding summer and purchased 
the Christy property at the northwest corner of Laura and 
Adams Streets as a club house. The Jacksonville Club went 
out of existence in November, 1886. 

February 12: Opening of the 9th annual State Fair at 
the fairgrounds in Fairfield. The fair this year was not a 
financial success. 


168 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Park Opera House 


Prior to 1884, the theatricals that can.e to the city gave 
their performances in different halls, principally in Metro- 
politan Hall on East Bay Street. The demand for a regular 
theatre had been growing for some time, when, in 1883, plans 
were made by local citizens for building one. The lot at the 
southeast corner of Laura and Duval Streets was procured 
by lease from William Astor, of New York, and the erection 
of the theatre was begun. It was a frame structure of heart 
pine. The seating capacity was 1,200. On February 22, 
1884, Minnie Hauk and her company playing “‘Fausw’’ dedi- 
cated the new theatre and an account of the opening was 
telegraphed to all parts of the Union. On May 14, 1887, at 
1 a. m., the building was destroyed by fire, said to have been 
the work of an incendiary. Several nearby dwellings were 
also burned and for a time it was feared that the St. James 
Hotel and all that part of town would go. 

After considerable discussion the stockholders decided 
to rebuild and a new lease was made with Mr. Astor. Ground 
was broken the first week in July, 1887, and the opera house 
was completed and dedicated by home talent in a minstrel 
show, November 10, 1887. This was a modern brick building 
with large orchestra and a balcony all the way round to the 
stage; the seating capacity was 1,100. The Park opera house 
was destroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901, and was not rebuilt. 

The former was called the Park theatre and the latter the 
Park opera house. In both of them Jacksonville witnessed 
many nationally famous plays and players of the time, in- 
cluding a season of grand opera. 


1884 


March 24: Fire, starting at 3 a. m. destroyed the Holmes 
Building on the south side of Bay Street between Laura and 
Pine (Main). Those occupying the building were: V. Botto, 
liquors; E. Hopkins & Co., grocers; J. Slager, auctioneer; 
John Dzialynski, cigar manufacturer; Ashmead, Marshall & 
Dobbins, photographers; Ashmead Brothers, storehouse. 
Loss including the building, $45,000. 


May: “Rotten Row” was torn down to make way for 
other buildings. After the War Between the States, a row 
of low wooden buildings was built on the north side of Bay 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 169 


1884 


Street from Julia to Cedar. Occupied at first as stores and 
shops, which moved when better buildings were built, these 
shanties degenerated into dives of vice and crime that became 
a serious menace to the welfare of the community. 


June 30: Organization of the Jacksonville Driving Asso- 
ciation with a capital of $50,000. W. T. Forbes, president; 
Dr. J. D. Fernandez, vice-president; J. P. Varnum, secretary ; 
M. L. Hartridge, treasurer. 


October 18: New steam ferry boat Mechanic for service 
between Jacksonville and South Jacksonville, arrived amidst 
the tooting of many whistles. This boat was 140 feet long 
and 50 feet wide, having capacity for 1,800 passengers. The 
Armsmear, then in use as the ferry boat, could accommodate 
only 200. Popularly, these boats were called the Elephant 
and the Shoo-fly. 


October 24: Hal B. Smith and Miss Alice George were 
drowned while sailing on the river near Panama. These 
were extremely popular young people of Jacksonville and 
the accident cast a gloom over the entire city. The obsequies 
were attended by a large concourse of residents and it is said 
that the floral contributions of respect were greatest in the 
history of the community. 


November 12: Pablo Beach opened up and lots put on 
the market. Quite a large number of people attended and 
the sale of lots was active. This was the first development 
of Pablo as a resort, and it was brought about by the expected 
early completion of the Jacksonville & Atlantic Railway. The 
enterprise was financed principally by the parties who were 
building the railroad. 


November 28: J. E. Hart’s elevator and hominy and feed 
mills, on the river bank at the foot of Liberty Street, were 
destroyed by fire with a loss of $60,000. This was one of 
Jacksonville’s largest manufacturies. It was the most de- 
structive fire since 1870, and a general conflagration was 
narrowly averted. 

The May panic in Wall Street caused considerable uneasi- 
ness here in financial circles and timid depositors made a run 
on the local banks, but confidence in these institutions was 
quickly restored. 


170 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1884 

Building operations continued to go forward. The five 
lumber mills kept working and their output for the year 
amounted to $500,000. Two brick yards produced $73,000; 
14 cigar factories, $200,000; two wagon establishments, 
$40,000. Two new street carlines were contemplated. The 
J.T. & K. W. Ry. was completed to Palatka. A large increase 
in the wholesale trade was noted during the year. 


The turmoil about the Sunday closing law quieted some- 
what as local politics drifted more especially toward the 
coming presidential and gubernatorial elections. When 
Cleveland was nominated for President a great Democratic 
mass-meeting was held at the Park theatre July 15, to sup- 
port the nomination. According to the Times-Union it was 
the largest and most enthusiastic gathering of patriotic men 
and women ever held in this city and perhaps in the State 
of Florida. At 7 p. m. the booming of a cannon on Astor’s 
wharf notified the citizens that all the preliminary arrange- 
ments for the great demonstration had been perfected. 
Bonfires were kindled in front of the theatre and the immense 
room was soon packed to overflowing, while hundreds con- 
gregated outside unable to gain entrance. The principal 
speakers were Governor Bloxham, Milton H. Mabry, Charles 
Dougherty, and John E. Hartridge. The Cleveland-Perry 
Democratic Club was organized and the political pot kept 
boiling, until on November 8 the club celebrated Cleveland’s 
election as President and Perry’s as Governor in a final grand 
jubilee the like of which Jacksonville had never seen before. 

The Republicans also held meetings during the summer, 
but their old-time enthusiasm seemed to have waned. The 
negro politicians held rallies, too; they were a farce and 
usually terminated in a free-for-all row. 


1885 


January 19-20, and February 24: Blind Tom, the cele- 
brated negro pianist, performed to large audiences at Library 
Hall. Blind Tom had been here before, December 9 and 10, 
1881, when he was heard by immense audiences in Metro- 
politan Hall. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 171 


1885 

February 3: Tenth Annual State Exposition opened at 
noon, under the joint auspices of the State Park Association 
and the Florida Fruit Growers’ Association. The inaugural 
ceremonies were elaborate, with music by three bands. The 
display of Florida fruits was unusually large. The fair re- 
mained open until the 7th, and was the most successful 
undertaking of the kind in the history of Florida fairs. 


February 5: Meeting of Florida Fruit Growers’ Asso- 
ciation. A permanent organization was perfected March 
11, 1885. 


February 15: Early morning fire, said to have been incen- 
diary, destroyed the Percival three-story, five tenement house 
on Union Street between Hogan and Julia. The inmates 
barely escaped with their lives. The fire spread to a near-by 
cottage on the corner of Union and Hogan, thence to the 
stables and carriage house of W. D. Barnett and to the Bar- 
nett mansion; all were destroyed as was also a cottage occu- 
pied by T. T. Stockton. It was a $50,000 fire. 


March 17-20: Spring race meet of the State Park Asso- 
ciation at the fair grounds in Fairfield. 


April 1-4: Southern Press Association convention. 


May 19: Cigar makers in El Modelo factory struck on 
account of a reduction in wages. 


Telephone Controversy, 1885 


In May, 1885, the Southern Bell Tel. & Tel. Co. announced 
that it would increase the rate for phones from $51 to $60 a 
year. The announcement brought forth a storm of protest. 
The Board of Trade called a special meeting and addressed a 
note to the telephone company protesting against the in- 
crease in rate. The local manager of the company replied 
to this note in a stern, and, as considered by the Board of 
Trade, insulting manner. Indignation meetings at the Board 
of Trade followed. Steps were taken to invite a competitive 
company to come to Jacksonville and inaugurate a new sys- 
tem. A boycott of the telephone company was then put into 
effect. Business men took the matter up, working in har- 
mony with the Board of Trade. The telephone company stood 


172 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


firm and as the leases expired took the telephones out. The 
superintendent of the company arrived about this time and 
a compromise was effected pending an investigation. The 
investigating committee of the Board of Trade reported: 


That the Board and business community have been contempt- 
uously treated by a scornful small agent of an autocratic monopoly is 
an unpleasant fact. That we are being discriminated against and 
heaped with more than our share of a much resented burden seems 
plain. Such redress as lies within our power, however, should not be 
neglected. If we cannot save a part of the new extortion to our private 
pockets, we may nevertheless direct it from the coffers of a foreign 
corporation to the pressing needs of our city treasury. 


A copy of this report was sent to the city council, with a 
recommendation of imposing a license tax of $500 on the 
telephone company. The council took the matter up and 
finally an ordinance was passed imposing a tax of $300 a 
year on the company. There were 170 telephones in opera- 
tion in Jacksonville at this time. The Southern Bell Tele- 
phone Company entered Jacksonville in 1880. 


1885 


June 3: Florida Camp No. 1, Confederate Veterans, or- 
ganized. June 10, the by-laws were accepted. June 20, first 
officers elected: Wm. Baya, commander; John Dodds, first 
lieut.; A. E. McClure, second lieut. Name of the camp 
changed to R. E. Lee Camp June 11, 1889. 


July 15: Ponce de Leon Council, American Legion of 
Honor, instituted at Masonic hall by Dr. A. B. Harrison, 
deputy supreme commander of Monticello, with 52 charter 
members. J. Huff, commander; George E. Wilson, vice- 
commander. 


August 8: The booming of “Betsy”, a gun of Wilson’s 
Battery, coming at regular intervals, announced to every 
one the funeral of General U. 8S. Grant. General Grant’s 
death and funeral were generally observed in this city; 
mourning draperies were displayed, and solemn and impres- 
sive ceremonies were held in the Park theatre at the hour of 
the funeral. These ceremonies were attended by the local 
camp of Confederate Veterans. 





JACKSO 





When Jacksonville was the “Mecca” for the tourists in Fl 
crowded with passengers or 





IN 13886 





RESALE SEE SOO goa Ninian BR EEE ES A RA 


ee OM 
page 3 





ind the St. Johns River teemed with craft of all kinds, 
}0 the gunwales with freight. 





ee ties 
- 








HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 173 


September 10: Jacksonville Gun Club organized. T. H. 
Livingston, president; John E. Hartridge and John L. Mar- 
vin, vice-presidents; W. L. Gibson, secretary; Bion Barnett, 
treasurer. 


December 27: Steamer “City of Nassau” bound for Flor- 
ida reported off Delaware Breakwater; she was never heard 
of again. A number of people were aboard bound for Jack- 
sonville. 


Fire of December 16, 1885 


A $200,000 fire occurred on the south side of Bay Street 
between Laura and Pine (Main). The fire started in the 
four-story warehouse back of S. B. Hubbard’s hardware 
store and destroyed that structure, together with the three- 
story warehouse back of the McConihe building. The flames 
spread to the stores on the south side of Bay Street and 
destroyed the Hubbard hardware store, the McConihe build- 
ing, the Abell block, brick warehouse of C. B. Benedict, and 
the freight wharf and warehouse of the DeBary-Baya 
steamboat line. One or two other buildings were badly dam- 
aged. A colored fireman was killed by a falling wall. This 
fire showed plainly the necessity of a regularly organized 
paid fire department and it was authorized by the city council 
several months afterward. 


BARAT! ws 


Jacksonville Crowded with Tourists 


The arrivals at the principal hotels and large boarding 
houses, during the season of 1884-85, numbered 60,000. It 
was with the greatest difficulty that the tourist trade could 
be accommodated and many were actually forced to go to 
other towns on that account. At the close of the season work 
was started on additions to a number of hotels and boarding 
houses. The Everett spent $100,000 in an addition, now the 
Aragon; the Windsor, $75,000; and the Duval, $25,000. 
Other hotels and boarding houses spent considerable money 
in enlargements and improvements, so that the winter season 
of 1885-86 found Jacksonville well prepared to accommodate 
all those who wished to come. That winter was the banner 
one. 

The St. Johns now was teeming with steamboats of every 
description from the small, odd-looking craft running to the 


174 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


places far up the river to the fastest and most modern pas- 
senger boats to be found anywhere. Most of them were side- 
wheelers. Above Orange Park on both sides of the river 
were regular landings every few miles for the freight boats 
bringing oranges from the different groves. A novelty in 
the fleet was a floating packing house that stopped at the 
different landings and packed the oranges on board. The 
part these river boats played in the development of Jackson- 
ville entitles them to a place in the history of this city. 


1886 


January 11-12: Severe freeze. The temperature on the 
11th fell to 19 and on the 12th to 15 degrees. There was a 
general destruction of growing crops and young orange trees, 
while the old trees set out after the war were killed to the 
ground. Much damage was done to the water system as a 
result of broken pipes. 


January 27-30: Emma Abbott, English Opera Company 
in grand opera, at the Park theatre, playing “La Traviata”, 
the ‘Mikado’, “Mignon”, “Il Trovatore’”. The Company 
played to packed houses. 


During this winter a number of players of world-wide 
fame gave performances here and were greeted with capacity 
houses. 


February 16-20: State Fair and State Park associations 
gave joint exhibitions. Some of the best known horses in 
the country were sent here from the North. 


March 20-21: Moody and Sankey, the noted evangelists, 
preached to immense congregations. 


April 6: Printers in the newspaper offices in Jacksonville 
walked out on strike for higher wages. Outside printers 
were brought in and the papers were published without much 
inconvenience. The strike lasted two months, but there was 
no violence. The striking printers made an unsuccessful ef- 
fort to institute a boycott of the newspapers by the mer- 
chants. 


May 18: Organization of the first regular baseball club in 
Jacksonville, with A. W. Barrs, President ; Lawrence Haynes, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 175 


1886 


Secretary-Treasurer, and M. Jacoby, Manager. Games were 
played here and elsewhere during the summer. 


July 5-10: Encampment of State troops at Pablo. 


Earthquake 


August 31, 1886: It is safe to say that Jacksonville never 
before turned its people into the streets so quickly as it did 
at 8:52 p.m., when buildings rocked and doors and windows 
rattled by earthquake. Intense excitement prevailed and the 
streets were filled with frightened people. No material prop- 
erty damage was done in this city, further than the cracking 
of wall plaster and in a few instances the settling of build- 
ings. The vibrations were from east to west and had the 
effect of the swaying of a train on a straight track with sev- 
eral sudden jerks as rounding a curve. The first vibrations 
were slight for about a minute, followed by three or four 
heavy shocks in quick succession. The disturbance lasted 
11 minutes, the last tremor being felt at 9:03 p.m. 

The main destruction in Charleston occurred within these 
limits of time, when several hundred buildings were de- 
stroyed in that city; scores of people killed, and a property 
damage estimated at $8,000,000 done. It was the heaviest 
earthquake ever recorded in the United States up to that 
time. Jacksonville raised by popular subscription $3400 for 
relief work in Charleston. 

Distinct earth tremors were felt in Jacksonville on Sep- 
tember 1, at 3:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.; 3d, 10:03 p.m.; 5th, 10:15 
a.m. and 10:18 p.m.; 8th, 12:35 p.m.; 9th, 12:47 p.m.; and on 
October 22, there was a shock at 4:25 a.m. of sufficient energy 
to rattle dishes, windows, etc. 

With a continuous record since 1829 to draw from, there 
have been but two other instances when earth tremors have 
been felt in Jacksonville: January 12, 1879, at 11:40 p.m. a 
slight tremor was felt; and on June 20, 1898, at 10:07 p.m. 
there was a slight shock lasting ten seconds. 


1887 


The year 1887 was one of public agitation and consider- 
able excitement. In the early part of the year the propa- 


176 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1887 
ganda of California to divert the tourist trade from Florida, 
and the question between the lawyers and the business men 
of Jacksonville as to the location of the proposed government 
building, brought the citizens together in a number of mass- 
meetings. 

The new charter of May 31, so drafted as to strike out 
from the charter the provision for registering voters and 
holding the first election, resulted in political turmoil that 
lasted exactly two years, with a lull during the yellow fever 
epidemic of 1888. It finally ended by taking the elective 
franchise away from the people. 

There appears to have been an unusual wave of crime in 
the city and county in this year, judging from the number of 
hold-ups and shooting scrapes mentioned in the newspapers, 
coupled with frequent robberies and a large number of in- 
cendiary small fires. This crime wave seems traceable to no 
specific cause, although whiskey figured heavily in it and was 
the direct cause of the killing of two citizens on the streets 
of Jacksonville. 


June 24: At 11 p.m. fire broke!out in the three-story 
brick block at the corner of Bay and Clay Streets, owned by 
Geo. R. Foster, and occupied principally by Clark & Loftus 
as a furniture store and warehouse. The building and most 
of the contents were destroyed; loss $30,000. 


October 7: Jacksonville quarantined against Tampa ow- 
ing to yellow fever at that place. It was a modified quaran- 
tine, but lasted several weeks. 


November 6: Probably the first prohibition meeting ever 
held in the State was held here for the purpose of organizing 
for a campaign against liquor. W. B. Owen presided. 


1888 
The Sub-Tropical Exposition 


During the winter 1886-7, California appeared as a com- 
petitor of Florida for the tourist business. Attractive rates 
to the West were secured from the railroads and organiza- 
tions of that State sent representatives here, opened tourist 
bureaus, and flooded the country with California literature. 
In many ways they sought to divert the tourist travel from 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 177 


1888 


Florida, and the success of their intensive campaign was 
evinced by a perceptible decrease in the tourist travel to 
Florida in that winter. The citizens of Jacksonville became 
aroused over the seriousness of this movement and in the 
Spring of 1887, met in mass-meeting to devise means to com- 
bat it. Here began the rivalry between the two States that 
exists today. 

It was decided to establish at Jacksonville, for the in- 
terest and instruction of tourists, a great exposition, to be 
held annually during the winter months, of sub-tropical and 
tropical products and resources, embracing in its scope the 
entire State of Florida, the Bahamas, and the West Indies, 
and if possible, Mexico and Central America. An association 
was formed and capitalized at $100,000. That part of Water- 
works Park at the corner of Pine (Main) and First Streets 
was leased from the city, for $1.00 annual rental, as a site for 
the exposition buildings. Their erection began in the fall of 
1887. The main building was 325x152 feet over all, including 
transepts. It was sheathed and lathed, then stuccoed, which 
gave it the appearance of stone construction. A smaller 
rustic building was erected near it, also for exposition pur- 
poses. 

The opening of the exposition on January 12, 1888, was 
auspicious, and great crowds visited it although all of the 
exhibits were not in place. It was generally pronounced a 
most creditable dispiay of Florida’s resources, and by far the 
most pretentious undertaking of the kind ever attempted in 
the State. It had been advertised daily for eight months and 
numbers of people came from distant States to see it. 


President Cleveland Visits Sub-Tropical 


President Grover Cleveland accepted an invitation to 
visit the Sub-Tropical, and his arrival on February 22, 1888 
(Washington’s Birthday), was marked by the most brilliant 
pageant and parade ever staged here. The presidential train 
arrived amidst the roar of Wilson’s Battery and the party 
was greeted at the station by cheering thousands, playing 
bands, and boom of cannon. With the President came Mrs. 
Cleveland, Secretary Whitney and wife, and a party of Con- 
gressmen. The President’s coach was specially made for 


178 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


this occasion, an exact counterpart of the one used by him 
in Washington, made by the same manufacturers, and was 
drawn by six magnificent black horses. In the parade from 
the depot to the St. James Hotel were military, city and civil 
organizations of every character. The cheering en route was 
deafening at times. 

At 3:30 that afternoon, the parade was resumed from the 
St. James to the exposition grounds, and was a repetition of 
that from the depot. The address of welcome in the Sub- 
Tropical building was made by Col. J. J. Daniel, to which the 
President replied in a pleasing and happy strain amidst tu- 
multuous applause. 

At night there was a grand reception in the parlors of the 
St. James Hotel. The crowds were so great that the streets 
were blocked with a mass of people. Mrs. Cleveland’s grace 
and beauty were remarked upon by everyone, and the spon- 
taneous enthusiasm was for her almost as much as for the 
President himself. 

The presidential party again visited the exposition on the 
following morning, then crossed the river to take the train 
for St. Augustine to become the guest of the Ponce de Leon. 

Every important county of the State had an exhibit at 
the Sub-Tropical exposition. The County Commissioners of 
Duval County at first refused to make an appropriation for 
an exhibit by Duval County; but a mass-meeting of indig- 
nant citizens caused them to change their views, and the nec- 
essary appropriation was immediately forthcoming. Besides 
the county exhibits there was a creditable art showing and 
numbers of individual exhibits and attractions. The grounds 
were beautifully laid out with trees and shrubs, among which 
the most admired was a blooming century plant. ‘The prin- 
cipal public events during the exposition were: President 
Cleveland’s visit, February 22-23; the Levy concerts, March 
3-5; Gilmore’s Band concerts, April 16-17. 

The Sub-Tropical officially closed for the season April 20, 
but it was visited by a great number of people for several 
months afterward. 

The financial report of the Association for the first season 
was: Total receipts, January 12 to April 20, $21,018; total 
operating expenses, $12,134. Total assets, including build- 
ings and grounds, $50,581; liabilities, $15,325. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 179 


1888 


March 18: Fire broke out at 8 p.m. in the paint and oil 
storage warehouse of Geo. L. Drew & Co., at the foot of 
Laura Street, east side. It spread to the warehouse of Geo. 
E. Wilson, in which was stored $40,000 worth of fertilizer 
materials; thence to the new Hazeltine building, all of which 
were destroyed. This fire was between the alley back of the 
present West building and the river and did not reach Bay 
Street. It was a $100,000 fire. 


March 21: First game of professional baseball here. 
Washington vs. New York. Score: Washington, 6; New 
York, 5. 


April: Rumors of a suspicious fever at Plant City and 
other South Florida places. 


June-July : Continued rumors of suspicious fever in South 
Florida localities. The local Board of Health preparing sani- 
tary measures, but no quarantine declared. 


180 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. 


YELLOW FEVER EPIDEMIC, 1888+ 


In the early spring of 1888, a peculiar fever, the nature 
of which baffled the physicians somewhat, was prevalent in 
Jacksonville and several persons died of it. Early in the sum- 
mer some of the cases had weil pronounced symptoms,}7 but 
it was not officially proclaimed yellow fever until some time 
later. ‘The case that brought out the announcement was that 
of a man named McCormick, who had come here only a few 
days before from Tampa, and who was first reported sick on 
July 28. On August 8, the populace was thrown into frantic 
excitement by the announcement that four new cases had 
been found, and two days later the Board of Health issued 
a proclamation that the yellow fever was tending to assume 
an epidemic form. Many persons had already left the city, 
and this proclamation intensified the alarm to such an extent 
that all outgoing trains and boats were crowded to their full 
capacity, while the public roads were congested with terrified 
people, fleeing in every conceivable conveyance and on foot, 
scores of them having no destination in particular and un- 
certain as to where they were going. Many of those who 
were unable to pay for transportation to the few places 
which generously opened their gates to them, suffered great 
hardships, as a rigid quarantine was immediately declared 
against Jacksonville by nearly every community south of the 
Mason and Dixon line, and these unfortunate people were 
driven from town to town in their search for shelter. The 
intense excitement that prevailed throughout the surround- 
ing country is indicated by the act of the citizens of Way- 
cross, Ga., in threatening to tear up the railroad tracks if 
refugees were permitted to pass out of Jacksonville by way 
of Waycross, even in locked cars and passing that town at a 
high rate of speed. Asa protective measure, the authorities 
at St. Augustine turned back all mail matter from Jackson- 
ville, although it had undergone thorough fumigation; and 
other places in the State refused to allow merchandise of any 
description to come into their respective communities from 
the infected district, while some local Boards of Health went 
so far as to exclude such things as machinery, wagon wheels, 
railroad iron, ice, and even silver dollars. To enforce these 
regulations armed guards surrounded nearly every hamlet 





{From the reports of the Jacksonville Auxiliary Sanitary Association, 1889. 
ttSe atated by many residents. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 181 


.in Florida and southern Georgia. The natural result of this 
“shot gun” quarantine, as it came to be known, was that 
business in Jacksonville was completely paralyzed, in fact 
practically ceased. The Clyde Steamship Line discontinued 
its service, and then soon followed the discontinuance of all 
up-river boats. The States north and west brought such 
pressure to bear upon the U.S. Marine Hospital Service, that 
the Surgeon General ordered a camp of detention near 
Boulogne, on the St. Marys River, afterward called Camp 
Perry, where all refugees bound north or west by rail must 
remain ten days before proceeding. Thus every avenue of 
escape was closed to the remaining residents of the-city, ex- 
cept through a detention camp where accommodations were 
exceedingly meagre, consisting of well-worn tents that were 
of little or no protection against rain; coarse food; insufficient 
bedding; no hospital accommodations; and where, at first, 
ladies and children had to eat at the same table with negroes. 
Such was Camp Perry during the early stages of the epidemic, 
and numbers of our people preferred to remain in Jackson- 
ville amid all the horrors of the yellow fever rather than 
subject themselves and their families to these vicissitudes. 
The conditions at Camp Perry were later greatly improved. 

Towns and cities all over the country, though fanatical 
in their efforts to prevent the arrival of refugees, yet gen- 
erously offered money and supplies to the unfortunate com- 
munity; but it was decided that, for the time-being at least, 
Jacksonville could care for herself out of the donations of 
her own citizens, therefore these offers of outside assistance 
were at first politely though firmly declined. The first do- 
nations were $100 by the State Bank of Florida, and 1000 
pounds of beef by Adams and Smith. It was not until the 
22d of August that a formal request was made for assistance, 
and it was addressed only to the citizens of Jacksonville, 
those here and away. The constantly increasing need, how- 
ever, made a general appeal necessary, and on the 5th of 
September notice was sent out that money and supplies would 
be received from the country at large. Contributions im- 
mediately began pouring in from corporations, benevolent 
societies, mayors of cities, boards of trade, chambers of 
commerce, banks, and individuals all over the United States. 
The great American nation responded to the appeal with the 
utmost sympathy and generosity, and when the final ac- 


182 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


counting was made there had been received in cash donations 
$331,972, and supplies, the estimated value of which was 
$13,467. These figures do not include the amount received 
indirectly from the United States government through re- 
imbursements, amounting to about $175,000. New York 
City alone sent $108,199; next came Philadelphia, with $18,- 
085; Boston, $13,876; Chicago, $13,436; Brooklyn, $10,836; 
St. Louis, $6,959; Savannah, $6,455; Charleston, $5,928; 
New Orleans, $5,903 ; Memphis, $5,247 ; Kansas City, $5,134; 
and hundreds of cities and towns with contributions less than 
$5,000. Individual contributions ranged all the way from 
$12,000, given anonymously by a resident of New York City,t 
to 2 cents, a widow’s mite. 

Jacksonville during the progress of the epidemic was a 
place of utter despair. Hundreds of men were at work clean- 
ing up the city and suburbs, burning trash, and disinfecting; 
every able-bodied man who applied for work was given some- 
thing to do, at a nominal salary, the authorities believing 
that this was the best method to handle the situation as to 
idleness, and at the same time bring the sanitary conditions 
to the greatest perfection. But with all this activity, the 
deserted stores and residences and the serious countenances 
of the citizens, told plainly the story of the calamity; and at 
night there settled over the city an uncanny stillness, broken 
only by the occasional rattle of the death carts or the muf- 
fled noises of those whose duty called them out after dark. 
The odors arising from the free use of disinfectants sur- 
charged the atmosphere, and furnished the basis for the 
statements of the negroes that they could “smell the yellow 
fever in the air”. It was a situation well calculated to crush 
the stoutest heart. At that time people thought the best 
way to escape the yellow fever was to remain indoors from 
sundown to sunrise; but they were utterly in the dark as to 
how to combat the disease, as is evinced by the experi- 
ments conducted for that purpose. One of the first was the 
concussion experiment, the theory being that the concussion 
caused by the firing of heavy cannon charges would kill the 
yellow fever microbes. The only result attained, however, 
was the breakage of windows in several churches and numer- 
ous other buildings. 





{This gentleman later became the benefactor of Daniel Memorial Orphanage, like- 
wise anonymously. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 183 


*The concussion theory was first advanced in the fall of 
1877, by Mrs. H. K. Ingram, of Edgefield, Tenn., in the publi- 
cation of a paper entitled “Atmospheric Concussion as a Means 
of Disinfection”. She claimed that the explosion of gunpowder 
in a room would kill mosquitoes and other insects by concus- 
sion and that the same principles were applicable to the de- 
struction of microbes in the air. (Published in Jacksonville 
Sun and Press, Sept. 18, 1877). 


At one of these experiments, a negro walking down the 
street failed to notice the cannon until it was fired within 
fifty feet of him, when he was heard to exclaim, ‘“‘Good Lawd, 
how thick dey falls”, thinking the grains of dust thrown in 
his face were yellow fever microbes falling out of the air. 
Huge fires of pine and tar were kindled at night in different 
sections, to purify the air and prevent the spread of the in- 
fection; tar was supposed to possess great virtue in this 
respect. Depopulation was finally decided upon as a means 
of bringing the epidemic to an end, and for this purpose the 
people were requested to go to the camps provided for them. 
Camp Mitchell, named for Dr. Neal Mitchell, was established 
about seven miles west of the city. Camp Howard, another 
refugee camp, was located in North Jacksonville, about two 
miles from the city limits and just beyond was the Sand Hills 
Hospital. Several hundred people went to these camps. In 
the meantime two or three special refugee trains were run 
out of Jacksonville. One of these trains, bound for Hender- 
sonville, N. C., by reason of unavoidable delays, was two days 
in reaching destination and five cases of yellow fever devel- 
oped en route. A panic ensued among the passengers, while 
a rigid quarantine was maintained against the infected cars 
by the other cars of the train. Upon their arrival in Hen- 
dersonville, the patients were taken to the hospital, where 
every attention was accorded them. Hendersonville threw 
wide her doors to the people of stricken Jacksonville from the 
very first, and kept them open until the last. 

A strict requirement was that all mail matter should be 
thoroughly fumigated. Two fumigating stations were main- 
tained, one at LaVilla Junction, near town, and the other 
near Waycross, Ga. The Waycross fumigating car, from 
August 1 to December 1, handled 2,536,845 pieces of mail 
matter, and each piece had to be handled four times in the 
process of fumigation. 


184 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Those who applied for work to the relief association rep- 
resented only a small percentage of the idle who would not or 
could not leave the city. When it became known that an ap- 
propriation of $200,000 had been made by Congress, a rumor 
spread among the negroes that this money was intended for 
their benefit. The prospect of being fed without having 
work to do lured many to the infected district, and the check- 
ing of this inflowing tide necessitated the placing of a cordon 
of armed guards around Jacksonville and the suburbs, in- 
cluding South Jacksonviile. In the early part of September 
a house to house canvass was made, which census showed 
3,945 white and 9,812 colored then in the city. 

The stupendous undertaking of providing for the needy 
and worthy poor devolved upon the relief association formed 
early in the epidemic. After investigation rations were is- 
sued to those in actual need of them, a ration for an adult for 
one week being: 2 pounds of bacon, 3 pounds of meal or 2 
pounds of flour, 3 pounds of grits or two pounds of flour, 1 
pint of molasses, 14 pint of salt, 14, pound of coffee, 14 pound 
of sugar, and 1 bar of soap. The total number of rations is- 
sued in this way during the epidemic was 196,538. In special 
cases certain delicacies were issued to the sick on the order 
of a physician. A physician had written an order, but inad- 
vertently left a space above his signature. In this space a 
thirsty patient inserted the words “one case Mumm’s quarts; 
6 bottles claret’. Another patient, by adding the figure 2, 
raised his order for 1 chicken to 12 chickens. The system 
was changed. One sad case will illustrate the distress prev- 
alent before systematic relief measures were adopted. A 
gentleman walking down the street met a boy crying bitterly. 
The little fellow said he was hungry; that his mama was ly- 
ing in the house there dead, and that his sister and himself 
had had nothing to eat for over a day. Investigation revealed 
the mother lying in the room where she had died 24 hours 
previously and the father just breathing his last when relief 
arrived. 

On November 26, when the temperature fell to freezing, 
the epidemic was generally considered at an end, although 
occasional cases continued to be reported from the suburbs 
until December 6. The last death from yellow fever occurred 
December 5. The Board of Health issued a proclamation 
that December 15 should be the day when refugees might be 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 185 


allowed to return to Jacksonville; but those who would not 
remain at night might come in on December 10, the penalty 
for disobedience of these laws being $500 fine or 30 days im- 
prisonment. On December 15 hundreds of citizens arrived 
by trains and boats, many reaching the city late the previous 
night by conveyance or on foot. Extra trains were run on 
all the roads and they came into Jacksonville filled to capaci- 
ty. With 4704 cases and 427 deaths (324 white and 103 
colored) charged to its account, the great epidemic became 
a matter of history. 

The Jacksonville Auxiliary Sanitary Association, an or- 
ganization of citizens, was the medium through which con- 
tributions were received and disbursed; it had full control of 
relief measures; supervised the sanitation of the city; and 
through its Relief Committee was associated with every de- 
tail bearing upon the epidemic. Day after day these men 
met for the purpose of handling the daily developing stages 
of the crisis. There were 282 of them, who, with death star- 
ing them in the face and without the promise of reward, did 
all that they could for the stricken city and sister communi- 
ties. Sixty-seven of them had the fever, and the supreme 
sacrifice fell to those in the following list: 


W.N. Baker, Ezra Gray, Frank Marvin, 
Wm. L. Baldwin, Charles Hinkley, R. Mulroy, 

J. J. Daniel, H. A. L’Engle, C. Peters, 

C. G. Elliott, J. H. McGinnis, Theo. M. Smith, 
J. M. Fairlie, Edwin’ Martin, A. O. Whitner. 


L. I. Fleming, 


In a business way Jacksonville recovered guickly from 
the epidemic. By the first of the year scores of residences 
and stores had been opened and trade resumed. But the 
characteristic greeting “Good-morning, John’, or ‘“Good- 
morning, Jim’’, was heard no more from many of the old 
familiar figures upon the streets. 


*Forever this shall be recorded as the last yellow fever 
epidemic in Jacksonville’s history. This terrible distress might 
have been saved had the medical world considered seriously 
‘the mosquito theory of the Cuban physician, Dr. Carlos Finlay, 
advanced in 1881 and ignored until 1900, when the Reed com- 
mission at Havana demonstrated without a doubt that the mos- 
quito was the carrier of the yellow fever germ. 


186 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


At the close of the yellow fever epidemic the supplies on 
hand were distributed among the local charitable institutions. 
Funds amounting to $24,750 remained on hand and were de- 
posited in the banks at interest. These funds were eventually 
distributed as follows: June, 1889, $2000 to Johnstown flood 
sufferers; February, 1892, $2500 to famine-stricken Rus- 
sians; August, 1893, $1800 to Brunswick yellow fever suf- 
ferers ; October, 1896, $5000 to storm sufferers in the State. 
In the meantime it was decided by the Association to there- 
after distribute the interest on the fund to the local chari- 
table institutions, which was regularly done. At the time of 
the Jacksonville fire in May, 1901, the fund amounted to $19,- 
880. The old Relief Association, desiring to turn this fund 
over to the Fire Relief Association, petitioned Judge Call for 
authority to do so; the authority was granted, the fund was 
transferred, and the affairs of the yellow fever Relief Asso- 
ciation finally closed under court authority, May 21, 1901. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 187 


1889 
Second Sub-Tropical Exposition 


soon after the close of the yellow fever epidemic the di- 
rectors of the Sub-Tropical Association held a meeting, at 
which it was decided to again open the exposition that winter. 
It was a magnificent example of pluck and hope for the fu- 
ture. True to schedule, the second Sub-Tropical Exposition 
opened February 20, 1889. The exhibits, though not as 
elaborate as before, were yet most creditable, considering the 
circumstances resulting from the demoralization caused by 
the yellow fever epidemic. With a year’s growth, the grounds 
had become a garden of much beauty. 

Grover Cleveland again visited the exposition, April 4, 
as the guest of a party of Plant System Railroad officials. 
Fred Douglass was here at the same time as the guest of the 
colored branch of the Association, but it is not shown that 
the two met. 


Interstate Drill April 10-12, 1889 


The closing attractions at the Sub-Tropical were the 
maneuvers and competitive drills staged by military com- 
panies from Florida and nearby States. Taking part in these 
maneuvers were: 


Carolina Rifles, Charleston, Capt. K. S. Tupper. 

German Fusileers, Charleston, Capt. Henry Schachte. 
Montgomery Guards, Charleston, Capt. F. J. Devereux. 
Southern Cadets, Macon, Capt. Roff Simms. 

Gate City Guards, Atlanta, Capt. Lyman Hall. 

Oglethorpe Light Infantry, Augusta, Capt. E. C. Coffin. 

Clark Light Infantry, Augusta, Capt. H. K. Lowry. 

Clinch Rifles, Augusta, Capt. J. C. Levy. 

Sumter Light Infantry, Sumter, S. C., Capt. R. A. Brand. 
Gatling Gun Company, Charleston, Capt. F. P. Winthrop. 
Metropolitan Light Infantry, Jacksonville, Capt. J. E. McGinnis. 
Jacksonville Light Infantry, Jacksonville, Capt. C. W. Stansell. 
Bartow Rifles, Bartow, Capt. J. E. Dickens. 

Cadet Company E, E. F. S., Gainesville, Capt. E. F. Burrows. 
Orlando Guards, Orlando, Capt. R. S. Allen. 

Cadet Company, F. A. C., Lake City, Capt. R. H. Oleman. 
Island City Guards, Key West, Capt. F. C. Brosier. 

Halifax Rifles, Daytona, Capt. J. W. Douglass. 

St. Augustine Guards, St. Augustine, Capt. Wm. Moody. 


188 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1889 
Most of these troops arrived on the 10th. 


April 11. The State competitive drill was held on the 
special drill ground that had been prepared near the Sub- 
Tropical. This contest was open to all Florida companies, 
the two Jacksonville companies and the Orlando company 
entering it. The judges’ award in percentage was: M. L. L, 
86.2; Orlando Guards, 83.5 ; Jacksonville Light Infantry, 79.1. 
Following this drill was an individual contest for the best 
drilled soldier open to all; it was won by Private H. H. White 
of the Carolina Rifles. 


April 12. The crowning event was the interstate drill of 
this date for a first prize of $1,000 and a second prize of $500, 
open to all companies. The Southern Cadets won first prize 
and the German Fusileers the second. The companies enter- 
ing this contest and the final award of the judges were as 
follows: Southern Cadets, 79.1; German Fusileers, 78.9; 
Gate City Guards, 76.8 ; Carolina Rifles, 74.2 ; Orlando Guards, 
72.1; Metropolitan Light Infantry, 54.5; Jacksonville Light 
Infantry, 49.7. The drill was witnessed by 3,000 people and 
the companies as they came upon the field were greeted with 
tremendous enthusiasm, especially the M. L. I. in its strik- 
ingly unusual uniform of bottle-green coats, white pants, and 
hats with long white flowing plumes for the officers and green 
plumes for the men. There were many incidents connected 
with the interstate drill that were the subject of discussion 
among military men for a long time afterward. 


April 6: Answering a call for help from Savannah, where 
a great conflagration was in progress, the old Mechanics 
Volunteer Fire Company boarded a special train and was 
carried there at the rate of 65 miles an hour. 


June 5: Large fire at the foot of Bridge (Broad) street; 
65 buildings burned and an area of 5: city blocks swept clean; 
loss about $135,000. The fire started at 1 a.m. at the foot of 
Bridge Street near the railroad tracks. It swept north along 
Bridge Street to Adams Street, and burned all buildings ex- 
cept two on Adams Street, in the area bounded by Bridge, 
Adams, Hawk (Jefferson), and McCoys Creek. South of 
Bay the fire crossed Bridge Street and burned most of that 
block. The buildings were principally frame. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 189 


1889 
July 5: City Board of Health created by ordinance of 
City Council; approved July 18th. Dr. C. J. Burroughs was 
the first city health officer. 


November 28: Pavilion and two hotels at Burnside Beach 
destroyed by fire. The Palmetto was a new four-story hotel ; 
the Burnside House was an old building built before the War 
Between the States. 


House Bill No. 4 


There were two main features of the legislation passed 
in May, 1889, known as House Bill No. 4: One providing for 
the appointment of officers to constitute the city government 
of Jacksonville (see page 300); and the other authorizing 
the city to issue bonds to the extent of $750,000. 

The purpose of the bond issue was for municipal improve- 
ments and the redemption of $210,000 outstanding bonds 
(Sanitary Improvement Bonds of 1878). At the election 
held December 10, 1889, for the purpose of taking the sense 
of the voters upon the bond issue, the result was: For Bonds, 
653; Against Bonds, 1091. The defeat of the bond issue was 
attributed to the newly acquired suburbs, where property 
owners claimed there would be an increase in taxes without 
any benefit from the issue; and also to the vote of the non- 
property owning class. It was pointed out that practically 
all of the large property owners were in favor of bonds. 


1890 


The Sub-Tropical Exposition opened January 9, 1890, 
with a two-day celebration and carnival. The first day was 
given over largely to parades, in which floats of local business 
concerns appeared as a marked feature. On the 10th there 
was an elaborate display of fireworks at night, followed by 
a grand masked ball. The exposition was on the order of 
previous displays though not so elaborate; but it continued 
to attract the attention of tourists. It closed April 12 after 
a week of military festivity and another interstate competi- 
tive drill that became famous in local military history. 


190 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The Interstate Drill, April 10-12, 1890 


Four companies entered the contest: Southern Cadets of 
Macon, Captain R. Simms; Gate City Guards of Atlanta, 
Captain A. C. Sneed; Atlanta Rifles, Captain M. B. Spencer; 
a composite local company entering as the Metropolitan 
Light Infantry, commanded by J. L. Doggett. The companies 
appeared in the competitive maneuvers separately and were 
so judged, the Atlanta Rifles appearing first and the Metro- 
politan Light Infantry last on the field. The enthusiasm was 
intense ; and when the M. L. I. appeared, their plumes waving 
in a heavy wind, there was an ovation. 


*Profiting by the experience of the year before the M. L. I. 
discarded white pants as a part of its uniform and at this drill 
appeared in dark blue pants, black coats with braid facings, 
and black caps with white flowing plumes. 


The grand prize of $2000 was awarded to the Southern 
Cadets, on a technicality, much to the surprise of military 
men, for it was the consensus of opinion that the Atlanta 
Rifles was the best drilled company of them all and was en- 
titled to the first place. The award of the judges was: 
Southern Cadets, 95; Atlanta Rifles, 94; Gate City Guards, 
91; Metropolitan Light Infantry, 838. The Edgefield Rifles of 
Edgefield, S. C., was here, but did not enter the contest. 

Only two companies entered the State competitive drill— 
the M. L. I. and the Gainesville Guards. The award in this 
drill was: M. L. I., 80; Gainesville Guards, 75. A prize of 
$100 was offered for the best drilled individual; Cadet Arthur 
W. Pye, of the East Florida Seminary Cadets, won it. 


1890 


March 20: Fire started at 2 a.m. in Lilienthal’s dry goods 
store on the north side of Adams Street, between Clay and 
Bridge (Broad). It spread rapidly east and west and de- 
stroyed all the buildings in the block bounded by Adams. 
Clay, Monroe, and Bridge, except a small house or two on the 
south side of Monroe Street. It crossed Bridge Street and 
burned a store on the corner. The Heaviest losers were 
Henry Lilienthal, who owned the entire row on the north side 
of Adams Street between Clay and Bridge; J. E. T. Bowden, 
new brick colosseum and swimming pool, together with 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 191 


1890 
other houses; Porcher L’Engle. Total loss, including stocks, 
$75,000. 


July 4: Largest crowd in history of Pablo Beach, esti- 
mated at 1500, assembled to witness the first exhibition of 
professional bicycle racing in this section. 


August 7: Jacksonville Driving Park Association organ- 
ized for the purpose of promoting amateur horse-racing. 
P. McQuaid, President; J. R. Tysen, Vice-President; J. F. 
Nichols, Secretary; H. T. Baya, Treasurer. 


October 26: Two warehouses belonging to Dr. W. M. 
Bostwick, on the river front at foot of Pine (Main) Street, 
were destroyed by fire. 


1891 

January 15: Sub-Tropical opened its 4th annual exhibi- 
tion. There were no elaborate opening exercises. That 
night a display of fireworks was given, followed by a ball in 
the fair building. 

With each year’s added growth of shrubbery the grounds 
had become more attractive, and the setting for the exposi- 
tion was most pleasing; but it was soon evident that interest 
in the fair was waning. It closed on February 14. The 
outstanding special features for the month were the Kirmess 
folk dances, staged by local talent, and the 5-day revival of 
Sam Jones, the evangelist. 

The Sub-Tropical was not opened again as a State fair. 
The lease and buildings were sold to a private company of 
local citizens, when an attempt was made the following year 
to open it as a County fair. Afterward the buildings became 
useful as a place for holding conventions and local celebra- 
tions of all kinds, until 1897, when they were torn down to 
make way for the waterworks reservoir on the site. 

Of the numbers of fairs and exhibitions held in Jackson- 
ville, the citizens that remembered it always emphasized 
with pride and pleasant recollection the Sub-Tropical, its 
attractive surroundings and pleasurable incidents. 


March 27: Grand Union Hotel at the northwest corner of 
Forsyth and Cedar Streets destroyed by fire at9 a.m. This 
was a three-story brick and frame building, 75x125 feet in 
dimension. 


192 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1891 
March 29-April 5: Sam Jones, the evangelist, again held 
a revival in Jacksonville. He preached a sermon to the 
colored people entitled, “Quit Your Meanness”’. 


February 26: Heavy gale did considerable damage in the 
city. The western end of the Sub-Tropical building was 
blown in. 


Mohawk Block Burns 


May 18, 1891. At 11:30 p.m., fire was discovered in the 
brick, stone and iron building at the southwest corner of 
Market and Bay Streets, known as the Mohawk Block, con- 
sidered Jacksonville’s finest business building, owned by the 
Schumacher estate and valued at $100,000. Occupying the 
ground floor were the U. 8. Post Office; James Douglass, 
books and stationery; Church Anderson & Co., wholesale 
commission merchants; George F. Drew Hardware Company. 
Above were the U.S. Court rooms, and U. 8. Marshal’s of- 
fices; Railway Mail service; and a number of lawyers’ offices. 
The Mohawk building was destroyed, as were the adjoining 
Santo building (small), and a building occupied by John 
Clark, Son & Co., valued at $35,000 and in which were stored 
250 bales of high-grade tobacco. In the rear an “L”’ occupied 
also by the Drew Hardware Company, was destroyed; here 
occurred a moderate explosion of dynamite followed by the 
popping of small ammunition. Glass on the Bay Street side 
of the Carleton Hotel across the street was cracked and 
ruined by the heat. 

The total loss was in the neighborhood of $400,000, with 
insurance of $230,000. 


July 5: A large livery stable and 9 houses were destroyed 
in a fire on the east half of the block bounded by Ashley, 
Church, Laura and Hogan Streets. The houses were mostly 
small dwelling houses. The St. James hotel caught, but the 
fire was immediately put out. 


Pine (Main) Street Conflagration 
(August 18, 1891) 


At 5 minutes before midnight on August 17, fire was dis- 
covered in the Bay Street store of R. D. Knight & Co.’s 
crockery store. The flames spread from the Bay Street store 
to the Knight annex in the rear, extending to Forsyth Street, 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 193 


both buildings being gutted. Thence it spread to the adjoin- 
ing Hubbard block on the west, extending to Pine Street. 
The Hubbard building was a new 4-story brick building, oc- 
cupied by the 8S. B. Hubbard Hardware Company, Western 
Union Telegraph Company, Southern Bell Telephone Com- 
pany, Southern Savings & Trust Bank, with offices, and the 
Jacksonville Light Infantry armory above. While this build- 
ing was burning, the DaCosta Printing office, adjoining on 
Pine Street, was burned. The L’Engle building at the north- 
east corner of Pine and Bay Streets miraculously escaped 
destruction. 

From this corner (southeast corner of Pine and Forsyth 
Streets) the fire crossed Pine Street to the 4-story brick 
Freedmen’s Bank building on the southwest corner of Pine 
and Forsyth, which was soon ablaze. Adjoining on Pine 
Street were a billiard saloon and the shoe store of Simmons 
& Scott; these also burned. 

While the Freedmen’s bank building was burning the 
Burbridge building at the northeast corner of Pine and For- 
syth Street, occupied by the Seminole Club, caught and 
burned. This was a 3-story brick building, and just east of 
it was a brick-veneer building owned by C. B. Smith (where 
the Windle Hotel is now). Both were destroyed. 

The large 3-story brick and frame Tremont Hotel on the 
northwest corner of Pine and Forsyth Streets became in- 
volved in the meantime, so that now all four corners at Pine 
and Forsyth Streets were on fire and burning fiercely. 

When the fire reached the Smith building at 1:45 a.m. 
(18th), there was a terrific explosion of dynamite stored 
there, that rocked every building in Jacksonville, and caused 
a wholesale destruction of plate glass show windows and 
panes of glass for blocks around. At least a dozen people 
were injured by flying glass and scores of persons were 
knocked to the ground by the force of the explosion. No 
one was seriously hurt, however. 

The 5-story brick Placide Hotel stood on Pine Street just 
back of the Tremont; the explosion had broken every pane 
of glass in it and it soon became a roaring shaft. The ad- 
joining building on the southwest corner of Adams and Pine 
(where Kress’ store is now) caught from the Placide and was 
quickly destroyed, as were two small dwellings immediately 
west of it. 


194 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The wind, shifting between southwest and southeast, car- 
ried the flames up Pine Street. On the east side, the fire 
swept from the Seminole Club building to the Bogue resi- 
dence on the southeast corner of Adams, thence east on south 
side of Adams Street to a two-story brick dwelling and a one- 
story brick-veneer dwelling near Ocean Street. The Mattair 
house, next to the Smith building, was also destroyed in this 
block. Two small frame buildings at the northwest corner 
of Forsyth and Ocean Streets escaped destruction. 

On the north side of Adams Street, in the opposite block, 
several houses caught, but the flames were put out; they 
burned later, as did every house in this block. West of Pine, 
on the north side of Adams Street, the L’Engle building on 
the corner, and the Dey building adjoining, caught from the 
Placide; then the Mechanics fire hall and D. U. Fletcher’s 
residence. All of them burned to the ground. In this block 
on Pine Street, Julius Slager’s dwelling burned, as did the 
3-story frame boarding house called the Chelsea, at the 
southwest corner of Pine and Monroe. On the south side of 
Monroe, west of the Chelsea, the two Emery tenement houses, 
Ritzewoller’s dwelling, and a tenement near the southeast 
corner of Laura and Monroe, in turn were destroyed. This 
last was the nearest point that the fire approached Laura 
Street. 

In the opposite block, east side of Pine Street, between 
Adams and Monroe, W. M. Ledwith’s dwelling was the first 
to burn; this was near the northwest corner of Ocean and 
Adams Streets. Two houses owned by Jacob Huff, on Pine 
Street, after repeatedly catching, were finally destroyed, as 
was the residence of George S. Wilson facing Adams Street. 
At the northeast corner of Pine and Adams was the Wilson 
orange grove; it was greatly damaged by the heat. On 
Ocean Street, a dwelling occupied by Perry Holland, and one 
by Dr. A. J. Wakefield burned, which, with the destruction 
of two other dwellings in this block, swept it clean. 


A perfect sea of flame arched Monroe Street from the 
Chelsea and the dwellings on the south side of the street, 
igniting the dwelling of J. D. Bucky on the north side. This 
burned and the flames spread to a dwelling at the northwest 
corner of Pine and Monroe used by the convent, thence to the 
large frame building of the convent itself, at the southwest 
corner of Pine and Duval, both of which were destroyed, as 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 195 


was the dwelling of Judge W. B. Young, and another dwelling 
west of the convent on the south side of Monroe Street. 

In the opposite block, at the northeast corner of Pine and 
Monroe, a building was burned. At the southeast corner of 
Pine and Duval was Dr. R. P. Daniel’s residence; this dwell- 
ing escaped and was the only building that was not burned on 
Pine Street between Forsyth and Church Streets. 

Crossing Duval Street, the fire swept practically all of 
the east half of the block on the west side of Pine Street to 
Church Street, including the Smith boarding house and Mc- 
Murray & Baker’s carriage factory. In the opposite block 
two houses and two stables were burned. 

The flames crossed Church Street at the northwest cor- 
ner of Pine Street and burned a building; it was checked 
here, just before it reached Avery’s livery stable. 

The property loss was not less than $750,000. The fire 
originated in the center of the business district, sweeping the 
area shown in the accompanying chart. As it progressed up 
Pine Street, residents moved their personal effects into the 
street in advance of the flames, until the streets were littered 
with furniture. The water pressure was low and it was soon 
seen that a conflagration could not be averted. The news- 
papers of the following day asked the people to be brave, 
forecasting that a new and greater Jacksonville would arise 
from the ashes, that where dwelling houses were before, 
business houses would now be built. 


1891 

November 17: Excitement in Criminal Court during the 
trial of Andrew Lightbody, when Louisa C. Stevens whipped 
out a derringer and attempted to shoot Lightbody. A by- 
stander struck her hand up and the ball was deflected. Offi- 
cers of the court, lawyers, witnesses, and spectators made a 
wild break for the door and it was some time before quiet 
was restored. 


1892 


January 16: Steamer John G. Christopher was greeted 
with an enthusiastic celebration on her maiden arrival inaug- 
urating a new steamer service to New York. 

January 20: Cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple at 


196 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1892 
the northeast corner of Forsyth and Bridge (Broad) Streets 
laid with elaborate Masonic ceremonies. 


May 11: Camp of Sons of Confederate Veterans organ- 
ized with 25 members. Officers elected: Captain, D. U. 
Fletcher; first lieutenant, S. C. Boyleston; second lieutenant, 
J. E. T. Bowden; secretary, F. B. Matthews; treasurer, C. N. 
Welshans. 


May 15: Fire originating in a house on the south side 
of Adams Street between Second (Davis) and Third (Lee) 
Streets, LaVilla, destroyed eight dwellings and two stores 
in that block. 


Riot of 1892 


July 4: During a controversy over a trivial matter a fight 
ensued between Frank Burrows, a young white man, and a 
giant negro named Ben Reed. Reed struck Burrows on the 
head with an oak standard, crushing his skull. Reed was 
soon captured and taken to the city jail at the foot of Liberty 
Street. When the news spread that Burrows had been killed 
feeling ran high and there was talk by indiscreet persons of 
lynching. Early that night negroes began to congregate 
around the county jail at the other end of Liberty Street, to 
which Reed had been removed, and by 10 p. m. a mob of 
500 or more had gathered to protect the prisoner. They 
placed sentinels at every corner in the vicinity and armed 
negroes patrolled the streets leading to the jail. That part 
of the city was entirely in their control. When a white man 
appeared, they surrounded and questioned him. A whistle 
signal was then given to the next corner and the pedestrian 
would be followed; if he went in the direction of the jail, he 
was surrounded and covered with cocked pistols and Win- 
chester rifles and turned back. A number of prominent white 
citizens fell into this situation during the night. There was 
no hostile demonstration, however, when 20 policemen came 
up and went into the jail. Just before midnight a dispatch 
was received from the Governor ordering the three local mil- 
itary companies (Jacksonville Light Infantry, Metropolitan 
Light Infantry, and Wilson’s Battery) to mobilize at their 
armories and hold themselves ready to resist any attack on 
the jail. In an hour they were under arms. The night passed 
without bloodshed, but was one of the utmost tension. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 197 


All during the day of the 5th, there was a feeling of unrest 
throughout the city as to the eventualities of the coming 
night. The military remained under orders, and during the 
day a meeting was arranged with several leading negroes for 
a consultation at 8 p. m., when it was explained that the 
military was ordered out to protect the prisoner Reed and to 
repress mob violence. In the meantime a great mob of 
negroes had collected around the jail and were armed to the 
teeth. After the meeting at 8 o’clock, the mob was addressed 
oy both white and colored speakers and the situation as to 
the purpose of the military explained to it. The military now 
moved in and took full charge of the squares around the jail. - 
The mob broke up somewhat in front of the troops and 
shifted in its relation to the business end of the Gatlin gun of 
Wilson’s Battery, but it did not entirely disperse and at mid- 
night the marshes, shanties, yards, and trees within three 
blocks of the jail were full of armed negroes apparently 
waiting for a war to begin. The strain of the second night 
was no less than the first, but it passed without serious con- 
sequences and at sunrise the mob had about disappeared. 

On the 6th, a large number of men from surrounding 
towns and from southern Georgia came in and offered their 
services to the sheriff and the military. At 6 p. m. the St. 
Augustine Rifles and the St. Augustine Guards arrived and 
immediately marched to the jail and assumed duty. Consid- 
erable desultory firing by individuals during the night kept 
the excitement at the highest pitch. Policeman Jones was 
fired on at Beaver and Newnan Streets by a negro, and the 
officer shot him in the legs with a double-barrelled shotgun; 
this was the first incident of the kind up to this time. 

The Gainesville Guards, Gem City Guards of Palatka, and 
Bradford County Guards of Starke, were in the city on the 
7th. At 4:30 p. m., the eight military companies now in the 
city had a battalion drill in the vicinity of Market and Bay 
Streets, staged for the purpose of effect on the negroes. The 
Gainesville, Palatka, and Starke companies and Wilson’s 
Battery went on duty at the jail soon after dark. There was 
no outbreak during the night and on the 8th quiet had been 
restored and the visiting companies departed, having ren- 
dered Jacksonville a valuable service. 

This was a dangerous demonstration. The incendiary 
_ talk by crowds of negro women was one of the most disturb- 


198 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ing elements throughout the trouble and gave rise to the 
rumors that an attempt would be made to burn the city. 
For three days and nights the tension was so great that the 
slightest untoward incident would have started a terrible 
catastrophe. That it was avoided was due to the good judg- 
ment of the military and civil officers and a few leading 
negroes. 

Ben Reed was tried for murder December 2d, but the 
jury failed to agree; he was afterward tried, convicted, and 
sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. 


1892 
September: Work on a wagon road to Pablo Beach was 
begun, with convict labor. The editor of the Jacksonville 
Evening Telegram published that it was hoped the county 
commissioners would improve the road and not leave it 
merely as an opening cut through the woods. 


November: New public school building in Riverside was 
completed and occupied. This was a frame school house. 


1893 
January 18: New Masonic temple at Bridge (Broad) and 
Forsyth Streets was dedicated. 


January 24: Answering a call from St. Augustine for 
help on the Casino fire, apparatus was put on a special train 
that made the run to St. Augustine in 35 minutes. 


April 6: Confederate Home for Aged Soldiers and Sailors 
of the Confederacy was dedicated at noon. Col. James Arm- 
strong of Charleston delivered the oration. (The association 
was organized in August, 1888.) 


April 11: Corner-stone of Good Shepherd Episcopal 
church in Riverside was laid. 


July 4: “Villa ,Maynard”, a bicycle racing park, was 
opened; there were 2,000 spectators. 


August: The Sub-Tropical changed hands again and was 
renamed the Florida Zoological Gardens and Exposition. 


A severe epidemic of yellow fever raged at Brunswick, 
Jesup and other southeast Georgia towns in the late summer 
and fall. Jacksonville instituted a rigid quarantine. 


November 15: The pier at Pablo Beach was burned. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 199 


Corbett-Mitchell Prize Fight 
(January 25, 1894) 


When it was published that an effort was being made to 
arrange a prize fight between J. J. Corbett, of the United 
States, and Charles Mitchell, of England, for the champion- 
ship of the world, a club was organized here in October, 1893, 
known as the Duval Athletic Club, composed of local people, 
for the purpose of securing the fight for Jacksonville. Imme- 
diately arose the question of the legality of such an exhibi- 
tion under the State laws, while considerable public oppo- 
sition was voiced with respect to having it here. An offer 
was made by the club acceptable to the principals and the 
preliminary arrangements were being made, when the gov- 
ernor issued notice that force would be used, if necessary, 
to prevent the fight. The purse offered was $20,000, the 
winner to receive all. When it became known generally that 
the authorities were planning to stop the fight, other places 
over the country sought to obtain it, among them Cripple 
Creek, a mining town in Colorado, which offered $40,000 
for it. 

Corbett arrived in Jacksonville about the middle of De- 
cember and went into training at Mayport. Mitchell came 
two weeks later and was arrested upon arrival, to test the 
law; he gave bond for $1,500 and established training quar- 
ters at St. Augustine. The governor ordered Sheriff Brow- 
ard of Duval County to use force to prevent the fight, and 
finally ordered the second batallion of State troops to Jack- 
sonville to assist him. The Duval Athletic Club played its 
trump card the day before the fight, when it secured an 
injunction against interference by the authorities. 

The fight occurred on the afternoon of January 25, 1894, 
at the old fairgrounds in Fairfield. The betting at the ring- 
side was 100 to 40 in favor of Corbett. The gong sounded at 
2:30 p.m. Referee: Kelly. 


ROUND ONE 


Corbett led off with a left to Mitchell’s chin. They clinched. Ex- 
change of body blows. Corbett reached Mitchell’s eye heavily. Mitchell 
reached Corbett’s ribs. Another exchange of body blows and Mitchell 
clinched. Mitchell got one to Corbett’s neck and Corbett landed a right. 
Just before time was called Mitchell landed a heavy body blow. Honors 
about even. 


200 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ROUND TWO 

Opened with wild exchange and clinch; Corbett upper-cut Mitchell 
as they came together. Mitchell landed hard on Corbett’s ribs, and as 
Mitchell came in Corbett caught him on the head, staggering him. 
Corbett upper-cut Mitchell again and landed a right on Mitchell’s chin. 
Mitchell reached Corbett’s chin. A sharp rally with Corbett having the 
advantage. Mitchell got in twice on Corbett’s neck. Corbett floored 
Mitchell cleanly and knocked him down again as he essayed to rise. 
Gong. 


ROUND THREE 


Mitchell rather groggy. Corbett rushed at him swinging right and 
left to the neck. Mitchell went down. Mitchell took full time to rise. 
Corbett rushed at him like a tiger. Mitchell clinched. Corbett threw 
him off and floored him with a stiff facer. Again Mitchell took full 
time to rise and when he advanced toward Corbett, the latter swung 
his right with deadly effect to Mitchell’s nose. Mitchell reeled and fell 
on his face, helpless—knocked out. 


Such was the newspaper report of the fight. It was wit- 
nessed by 1800 people, including the sporting element of the 
country, who paid $31,000 to see it. No attempt was made 
to stop the fight during its progress, but both Corbett and 
Mitchell were arrested immediately afterward. Each was 
released on $5,000 bond. Both departed the next day for 
the North and both returned to Jacksonville the last of Feb- 
ruary for trial. Corbett was acquitted of the charge of 
assault and battery. Judge Christie, when asked if he was 
going to proceed against Mitchell, remarked that if Corbett 
could not be convicted of assault and battery he hardly 
thought that Mitchell could, and nol prossed his case. 


1894 
Crime Wave 


In the last week of January a crime wave broke out in 
Jacksonville. Burglaries, robberies and hold-ups, evidently 
by professionals, were of frequent occurrence. Some of these 
criminals were captured, but most of them were too shrewd 
for the local police and “got by” with their jobs. This seemed 
to be an inducement for the criminally inclined to become 
active. That year was the worst crime year that Jacksonville 
had ever known up to that time. There was a shake-up in 
the police department and a change of chiefs, but with little 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 201 


effect; murder after murder occurred, among them Mrs. 
Grace Hayes and her mother, Mrs. Nason, on September 4. 
Three white suicides; the accidental drowning of a young 
man and young woman while rowing off the foot of Laura 
Street ; a number of spectacular knock-down, drag-out fights 
on Bay Street were incidents of that memorable year. 

Along with the police shake-up came a revival of war on 
open saloons on Sunday. It waxed warm for awhile. The 
municipal judge was asked to resign, but he informed his 
accusers that he knew as much about how to run a court as 
they did, and continued to function. The legislative election 
in the fall was full of promise for some more excitement. 
A species of propaganda was started against the railroads, 
charging them with an attempt to control the election by use 
of money. The feeling was worked up to fever heat. On the 
day of the election the local military companies were held 
under orders to suppress any disturbance. When the voters 
went to the polls that morning they found them closed. How- 
ever, later in the day the polls were opened and the election 
was held without serious disorder. 

There was another side to Jacksonville’s history in 1894. 
The program of improvement under a $1,000,000 bond issue 
was begun. Bay Street was paved with brick from Bridge 
(Broad) to Market—the finest street in Florida at that time. 
Main Street was paved to Hogans Creek. Just as Main Street 
was finished a circus parade passed over it and the heavy 
wagons did serious damage to the thoroughfare. Other 
streets followed in turn. Riverside Avenue was provided for 
from McCoys Creek to Rossell Street. Ground was broken 
for the City Hall and Market. An electric light plant was 
authorized. Here trouble began with private lighting inter- 
ests, who filed an injunction against the city, seeking to pre- 
vent the establishment of a municipal light plant. The city 
won the suit that followed. Added to these improvements 
$1,000,000 was spent in privately owned buildings. Jackson- 
ville now advanced from the large town to the city class. 


1895 


January 13: Ferryboat “Ravenswood” destroyed by fire 
at her slip in South Jacksonville. 
February 18: Ferryboat “Idaho” purchased in the North 


202 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1895 
to take the place of the “Ravenswood” was lost off Hatteras 
on her way here. © 


February-March: New York “Giants” trained at Jack- 
sonville. 


April 27: Greeted by a royal welcome from river craft 
the Commodore Barney arrived from New York to become 
the ferryboat between Jacksonville and South Jacksonville. 
She was originally built in 1858 as a government boat named 
Ethan Allen; but before coming to Jacksonville had been 
running as a ferryboat at New York. 


May 20: In the bicycle races held at Charlotte, Geo. N. 
Adams of Jacksonville won the championship of the South, 
riding a Stearns one mile in 2:37. 


September 10: News Item: Three weeks ago there was 
not a bloomer in the city ; now there are five that are known 
of and perhaps more that have not come to light. The owners 
of the five bloomers have not yet ventured to ride (their 
bicycles) in open daylight, but usually wait until after 9 
p. m., when there are few people on the streets. 


1896 


March 6: New York Giants (baseball club) arrived for 
spring training. 


July 17: George N. Adams established a world’s record 
for 3 to 10 miles bicycle racing at Panama Park. 


September 11: Club house and quarters at Panama Park 
burned. 


September 23: Clyde steamer Frederick DeBary wrecked 
at Kitty Hawk, N. C. Was later floated, repaired and put 
into service. 


1897 


February 12: Jacksonville Bar Association organized at 
a meeting of lawyers in the court house: D. U. Fletcher, 
president; C. D. Rinehart, vice-president; E. J. L’Engle, 
secretary; T. M. Day, Jr., treasurer. The Association held 
its first banquet at the Windsor Hotel February 26, 1897. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 203 
1897 


*The foregoing was a reorganization of the old Jacksonville 
Bar Association, which was originally organized May 5, 1887. 


March 2: Jacksonville City Council passed resolutions 
condemning Spain for the cruelties in Cuba. This was said 
to be the first official action of the character in the United 
States. 


Gato Murder 


Miss Louise Gato, a beautiful young woman, was shot as 
she was entering the gate of her father’s home in North 
Springfield (Laura and Eleventh Streets) about dusk April 
20, 1897. She died within 24 hours and in her dying state- 
ment accused a friend, Edward Pitzer, of doing the shooting. 
Pitzer was arrested and his trial was one of the most sen- 
sational in Jacksonville’s history. It lasted nearly two weeks 
amidst many spectacular incidents and court excitements. 
Morning, noon, and night the court-room was crowded with 
interested spectators and general interest prevailed through- 
out the city. The lawyers in the case were, prosecuting, 
State’s Attorney A. G. Hartridge assisted by D. U. Fletcher 
and A. W. Cockrell; defense, Alexander St. Clair Abrams 
with D. C. Campbell and F. W. Pope as associates. Judge 
R. M. Call was the trial judge and D. Plummer foreman of 
the jury. In his concluding argument for the defense Mr. 
Abrams made a heart-appealing speech which ended dra- 
matically as he fainted and fell into the arms of a deputy 
sheriff. The defense was based on an alibi. The jury was 
out 22 hours and returned a verdict of acquittal. Pitzer left 
Jacksonville soon afterward to make his home in the North. 
An outstanding feature of this case was the interest taken 
in the prisoner while in jail, mostly by women, who loaded 
his cell with flowers and kept him supplied with every deli- 
cacy. Another feature was the prompt trial of the case, 
May 26 to June 5, 1897. 


June: Gardner building, Jacksonville’s first sky-scraper 
of six stories, was completed. (This building was on the 
north side of Bay Street between Main and Laura. It was 
destroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901.) 


July 2: First moving picture shown in Jacksonville, 
called then an Edison Projectoscope. The picture was shown 


204 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1897 


at the Park Opera House and was claimed to be a moving 
picture of the Corbett-Fitzsimmons prize fight. The reel 
broke in half soon after the picture started and the subject 
proved to be a fake, nevertheless it was the forerunner of 
motion pictures in Jacksonville. 


July 26: Long distance telephone service with Savannah 
inaugurated; day rate, 85 cents for three minutes; night rate, 
45 cents. 


September: Jacksonville quarantined against New Or- 
leans and other yellow fever infested places in the lower 
Mississippi Valley. Quarantine in force until November. 


November 9-12: Inaugauration of a festival of fun called 
Gala Week, during which Jacksonville was given over to 
whole-hearted recreation and play. The city was crowded 
with visitors from all over the State. Fire companies from 
other places were here in competitive drills ; there were semi- 
professional bicycle races, military maneuvers, fantastic 
parades, trades display embracing 170 floats, and numerous 
other attractions of all kinds. At night the carnival spirit 
was uncurbed; there were fireworks and confetti throwing 
and a good, wholesome time for everybody and Jacksonville 
turned out en masse. It was as an old negro said: While 
watching a passing parade a visitor set down a jug, which 
promptly foamed over and left a little pool of Florida syrup 
where it stood. Soon a foot was in it, followed by the testy 
inquiry, “What is that stuff? The old darkey replied, “Boss, 
dis town is so full of fun dat it biles out ’bove de sidewalk’’. 


*Gala Week proved to be such a success that an associa- 
tion was formed to perpetuate it by making it an annual affair. 
It was held yearly until 1904, increasing in magnitude until it 
became a State affair which was widely advertised. The car- 
nival of 1903 was the most elaborate ever held in Florida. Gala 
Week as a distinct celebration ceased with the Trades Car- 
nival of 1904. Even now one sometimes hears the remark, 
“Have you seen George? You’d better hurry, hurry, hurry”, 
all of which carries the memory back to old Gala Week in the 
days before the fire. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 205 


SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 


*The U. S. battleship “Maine” was destroyed in Havana 
harbor February 15, 1898. War was declared against Spain 
April 25, 1898. Treaty of peace at Paris December 10, 1898. 


In 1896, when the Cuban revolution was at the height of 
its military success the romantic and hazardous business of 
filibustering men and arms from the Florida coast to Cuba 
reached considerable proportions. There were several local 
boats engaged in this occupation; their names were often in 
the press dispatches of the time and were familiar to the 
American public. There was one the fame of which extended 
throughout the civilized world, the St. Johns River tugboat 
“Three Friends’”’. 


Filibustering 


On the dark, raw night of March 11, 1896, the Three 
Friends made her first get-away as a filibuster. Loaded with 
arms and ammunition for the Cuban insurgents she drove 
rapidly down the river toward the bar, with such speed that 
the small fishing craft along the river were thrown up on the 
banks by the swell she made. The revenue cutter Boutwell 
was lying off Jacksonville at the time and immediately 
started in pursuit of the Three Friends. A fisherman at New 
Berlin trying to launch his boat from the platform where it 
had been thrown, was asked if he had seen a boat pass that 
way; his reply was, “Some d boat passed here throwing 
my boat up on the platform, and if she kept on at the same 
rate of speed she will by now have reached a place too hot 
for you to catch her in”. At the mouth of the river the com- 
mander of the Boutwell enquired of the pilot if the. Three 
Friends had passed during the night. The reply was, “God 
knows what passed here; something the color of blue dawn, 
with her forward deck piled high with boats and her after 
deck filled with boxes. The swell she made in passing washed 
our decks and floated our boats”. The Boutwell then returned 
to Jacksonville. 

Out at sea the Three Friends turned toward the south 
and at dawn was far down the coast driving full speed 
toward the Florida Keys. Her coat of white had been 
changed to gray and in great white letters she bore the name 





206 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


“The Ox”. The day passed without incident and night came on. 
While off Canaveral at 9 p. m. the lights of three vessels were 
seen ahead; it proved to be a tug boat with a tow, but it was 
sufficient to cause a scare. Onward the Three Friends sped; 
the night passed and the greater portion of the following day. 
That afternoon she anchored behind one of the Florida keys, 
near the Stephen R. Mallory, a filibuster from Cedar Keys, 
likewise loaded with arms and patriots for the Cubans. 

At daylight the Three Friends started south for safer 
anchorage among the keys. Near Turtle Harbor a strange 
steamer put out to sea fleeing like a startled bird. It was the 
famous filibuster Commodore, which, mistaking the Three 
Friends for a revenue cutter, headed for the Bahama Banks. 
The crew of the Three Friends was likewise frightened at 
the strange event and believed for a time that it was a Span- 
ish gunboat bent on capture. Near Indian Key the schooner 
Ardnell transferred her Cuban patriots to the Three Friends 
and the latter headed for the open sea, passing out over Alli- 
gator Reef just as the sun was rising. At 9 o’clock that night 
the light at Cardenas was sighted. It soon clouded up, became 
very dark and began to rain. The Cuban pilot, who had now 
taken charge, missed the place previously agreed upon as a 
landing place by two miles and before anyone was aware of 
it the Three Friends was among the breakers. With great 
difficulty the filibuster backed into deeper water, threw 
out her cable and began landing her cargo of Cubans and 
munitions of war, unaware that she was off a Spanish town 
and not more than a few hundred yards from a Spanish fort. 

The last boatload of Cubans had scarcely been launched 
when the searchlight of a small Spanish gunboat was thrown 
on the beach, revealing the presence of those on shore engaged 
in burying their arms and ammunition. The Spaniards 
opened fire on the Cubans on the beach and they in turn fired 
at the searchlight on the gunboat and the light went out. 
All of this was exceedingly interesting to the crew of the 
Three Friends lying close by awaiting the return of the last 
boat from shore. The crew had their guns ready to repel 
boarders from the gunboat, when by the aid of a spy-glass a 
large Spanish warship was detected less than a mile away. 
The captain of the Three Friends gave the order, “Do not 
use your guns as it will attract the attention of the large 
gunboat on our port side. Get your axes and lie under the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 207 


bulwarks and if the small gunboat tries to board us, use 
them”. Just then the boats returned from the shore, the 
men pulling with all their might. The boats were made fast 
instantly, the anchor cable cut, and the Three Friends started 
ahead full speed on her race for life. 


The first streak of light was visible along the eastern 
horizon, but overhead hung dark clouds from which a light 
mist was falling. The tug was running parallel to the line 
of the coast while the gunboat was headed across her bow— 
the Three Friends had been discovered. Nearer and nearer 
the two steamers approached each other, but the Spaniard 
having the shorter course to run held his smaller opponent 
an easy prey. Then came the order, ‘“‘Line all the men up on 
the port side and have them ready to get into the boats. We 
shall run into the Spaniard as we head and both may be sunk, 
but we will have the advantage of having our boats overboard 
and our men ready; he will have to lower his and we can get 
the start and beat them back to the Cubans we have just 
landed’. On getting nearer the Spanish cruiser the wheel of 
the Three Friends was put hard a-starboard and she turned 
at right angle and headed west. The wind blew her smoke 
back upon her track and the Spaniard, thinking she had 
doubled, turned his bow toward the rear. In another moment 
they were lost to each other in the darkness and rain. The 
Three Friends made straight for Key West where she arrived 
at noon. Here ended her first trip as a filibuster. Seven 
more she made, everyone as hazardous and exciting as the 
first, but the Three Friends was marked with a lucky star 
and passed through them all unscathed. 


Among the other boats well known in these waters that 
became famous for their filibuster expeditions to Cuba were 
the Dauntless, the Commodore and the Bermuda; these with 
the Three Friends were known as the “Cuban fleet’. The 
Bermuda made a number of trips to Cuba, but was finally 
detained at Jamaica by the British authorities. The Com- 
modore foundered under suspicious circumstances off the 
Florida east coast January 2, 1897; her cargo of arms and 
several of the Cuban patriots aboard were lost. The fame of 
the little Dauntless was almost as great as that of the Three 
Friends; she was once captured by the U.S. S. Marblehead, 
but later got out of the scrape and though under constant 


208 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


surveillance continued to make an occasional get-away for 
Cuba. 


*The Three Friends and the Dauntless were fast boats for 
their day. Soon after war was declared the Three Friends was 
chartered by the New York World and used as a dispatch boat 
between the war zone and Key West. The Dauntless was the 
dispatch boat of the Associated Press in Southern waters dur- 
ing the war. 

The Bermuda sank in Delaware River in 1900. The Daunt- 
less is now in service running on Chesapeake Bay, and the 
Three Friends still plies the waters of her home, the St. Johns 
River. 


By the summer of 1897 the Cuban revolution had reached 
a low ebb as a result of the inhuman policy of the Spanish 
Governor Weyler. Day after day for months the American 
people had read about the horrible conditions in Cuba and 
public sentiment had reached a state that the United States 
was about ready to intervene when the announcement came 
in January, 1898, that Weyler had been recalled and a new 
form of limited self-government promised the Cubans. The 
Cubans rejected it and the fire of revolution broke out afresh. 
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, U. S. Consul-General at Havana, asked 
that an American warship be sent to Havana to protect 
American interests if necessary. The battleship Maine was 
sent and while anchored in Havana harbor was destroyed 
by an explosion at 10 p.m. February 15, 1898, resulting in the 
death of 2 officers and 264 men. The finding of the board of 
investigation that the explosion originated on the outside of 
the ship made war with Spain unavoidable, and on April 25, 
1898, President McKinley issued a proclamation that war 
with Spain existed. 

In less than a week after the Maine was sunk, and two 
months before war was declared, Florida began her prepara- 
tions for war. On February 20, 1898, among the first, if not 
the first order of a military nature, bearing on the impending 
crisis, was issued from Tallahassee to the Jacksonville Naval 
Militia in part as follows: 


Lt. A. R. Merrill, Lt. J. H. Bland, Ensigns Miller and Gibbons, with 
such petty officers and signalmen from the Third Division of Florida 
Naval Militia, Jacksonville, as may be necessary, are detailed to make a 
reconnaissance of the Atlantic coast as far as practicable with a view 
to locating proper sites for signal stations and to secure such other data 
as may be obtained and be of value from a military standpoint. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA — 209 


Immediately upon receipt of these orders the survey be- 
gan at the mouth of the St. Johns and it was the first in this 
part of Florida in relation to the Spanish-American war. 


War Chronology 
1898 


March 6: Gen. J. M. Wilson, Chief of U. S. Engineers, 
made a military inspection at the mouth of the St. Johns. 


April 4-10: Local military companies recruiting to war 
strength. 


April 15: Two companies of negro troops under white 
officers passed through en route to Key West; first troop 
movement through Jacksonville. 


April 18: Jacksonville Naval Militia offered its services 
to the Government; services accepted and unit ordered to 
recruit to war strength. Officers: A. R. Merrill, lieutenant 
commander; J. H. Bland, lieutenant; Cromwell Gibbons and 
F. D. Miller, ensigns. 


April 23: Jacksonville Naval Militia called to the colors; 
ordered to establish signal stations at the mouth of the St. 
Johns River. 


May 3: Jacksonville Light Infantry and Jacksonville 
Rifles, having volunteered, were called to the colors; ordered 
to hold themselves in readiness. 


May 12: Practically the entire white population of the 
city turned out to wish Godspeed to Jacksonville Light In- 
fantry and Jacksonville Rifles, entraining for Tampa. The 
roster of the Rifles at this time was 106 officers and men, and 
that of the Jacksonville Light Infantry 91. 


May 26: Wilson’s Battery volunteered for service. 


June 1: Censorship of troop movements inaugurated. 


June 12: Full roster of each company of the First Flor- 
ida Regiment appeared in the Times-Union and Citizen of 
this date. 


June 13: Jacksonville designated as the commissary depot 
for the Seventh Army Corps. 


210 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1898 
August 2: Convalescent hospital was opened at Pablo 
Beach. 


October 15: Company E (Jacksonville Light Infantry) 
1st Florida, arrived from Tallahassee. An immense assem- 
blage was at the depot to greet the company and included the 
4th Illinois regiment of Camp Cuba Libre and the band of the 
161st Indiana. When the procession started up-town, the 
band played ‘‘Dixie’”’ and the crowd went wild. 


November 14: Company E (J. L. I.) entrained for Talla- 
hassee, having been ordered back to be mustered out. 


December 4: Company E (J. L. I.) mustered out at Talla- 
hassee. Each man was given a blue satin badge with a 
spread-eagle in the center, and inscribed, ‘““Mustered in May 
23. To hell with Spain. First Florida Regiment, 1898. 
Mustered out December 4”’. 


January 27, 1899: Company F (Jacksonville Rifles) was 
mustered out at Huntsville, Ala. 


Duval County’s Honor Roll 
Spanish-American War 


John J. O’Rourke of Jacksonville, and E. W. Houston of 
Mayport: Killed by the accidental explosion of a dynamite 
mine under test at the test station at St. Johns Bluff, July 
10, 1898. 

Private Franklin B. Willard (J. L. I.) of Jacksonville, died 
at Camp Wheeler, Huntsville, Ala., September 20, 1898, of 
typhoid fever. 

Lieutenant J. Hugh Stephens (Rifles) of Jacksonville, 
died in hospital at Savannah, October 27, 1898, of typhoid 
fever. 

Private William Jones of Jacksonville (mustered out with 
J. L. I. and joined Co. D, 9th Illinois), died in camp near Ha- 
vana January 7, 1899, of spinal meningitis. 


Camp Cuba Libre 


Ten days before war with Spain was declared C. E. Garner 
advanced the idea of an army camp for Jacksonville. Mayor 
R. D. Knight then became active in his official capacity, and 


a eee 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 211 


the proposition was developed through a joint mass-meeting 
of citizens and Board of Trade on April 29. Maj. Gen. J. F. 
Wade arrived on a tour of inspection for camp sites May 18, 
and recommended Jacksonville for a camp. On May 21, 
Brig. Gen. H. W. Lawton, of General Shafter’s staff, came to 
Jacksonville to select the site. After visiting several pro- 
posed sites, one in East Springfield was selected, located be- 
tween Ionia Street and the Fernandina railroad, and Third 
and Eighth Streets, the main factor in the selection being the 
transportation facilities. The Second Illinois and the First 
Wisconsin regiments, the first troops to arrive here, came in 
on the evening of May 22; the next morning the tented city 
of volunteers in East Springfield began to rise, and by night 
the white canvas gave evidence that a considerable body of 
troops was already in camp, the First North Carolina having 
arrived during the day. General Lawton was in command 
until succeeded by Brig. Gen. A. K. Arnold on May 28. Maj. 
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee arrived the next day. On June 4, General 
Lee designated Jacksonville as headquarters of the Seventh 
Army Corps and officially named the camp here “Cuba Libre”’. 

Early in July an epidemic of typhoid fever started in 
Camp Cuba Libre. This was in the day when the treatment 
of the disease and the cause of its spread were not well un- 
derstood, and scores of men died before the epidemic closed. 
Screening was not used, and it is remembered that flies 
swarmed in the tents and mess places. Heavy rains in June 
and July kept the locality wet, as city drainage had not been 
extended to the camp, and there was not enough natural fall 
to carry the water off. A great deal of complaint arose 
about it and many unfavorable reports were published in the 
Northern papers. 


*An interesting feature in this connection was that the 
Government had general and thorough tests made for malaria 
and found that the camp was entirely free of it. 


The original camp site in East Springfield was finally 
abandoned. This first change was made by the Wisconsin 
regiment which moved to the vicinity of Fifth and Silver 
Streets July 29. One by one the other regiments were moved 
to the high ground north of the cemetery, near Phoenix Park 
and Cummer’s mill, or Panama where Torrey’s Rocky Mount- 


212 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ain cow-boys (Second Wyoming Cavalry) had pitched their 
camp in the beginning. 

The greatest number of men here at one time was 29,000. 
All were white volunteers, and all infantry, except Torrey’s 
rough riders. The first to leave Camp Cuba Libre was the 
First Wisconsin, which entrained for home September 6, to 
be mustered out. The following is a complete list of the regi- 
ments in camp here, with their commanders, together with 
the dates of arrival at and departure from Jacksonville: 


1898 
Arrival Departure 
May 22....Second Illinois, Col. G. M. Moulton............... Oct. 24 
May 22.... First Wiconsin, Col. S. P. Schadel...........-.0s. Sep. 6 
May 28.... First North Carolina, Col. C. F. Armfield......... Oct. 24 
May 24.... Fifteenth Iowa, Col. D. V. Jackson.............. Sep. 13 
May 29.... Fourth Illinois, Col. Casimer Andel.............. Oct. 24 
June 3..... Second Virginia, Col. J. C. Baker................ Sep. 19 
PUNE Bye Second New Jersey, Col. E. W. Hine............. Sep. 22 
June6..... Fourth Virginia, Col. G. W. Taylor............. Oct. 26 
June 14....Forty-Ninth Iowa, Col. W. G. Dows.............. Oct. 25 
June 21....Second Mississippi, Col. W. A. Montgomery...... Sep. 12 
June 28....Second Wyoming (Cavalry), Col. Jay L. Torrey..Oct. 24+ 
July 22.... Third Nebraska, Col. Wm. Jennings Bryan........ Oct. 23 
July 30.... First South Carolina, Col. J. K. Alston.......... Sep. 23 
Aug.3.... Second Louisiana, Col. Elmer E. Wood........... Oct. 22 
Aug. 5 ...) Second Alabama, Coli'J.)WoiCoxiv. va. 2 Wie wena Sep. 16 
Aug. 7....Second Texas, Col. L. M. Oppenheimer.......... Sep. 20 
Aug. 3... . Ninth Tilinois, Col! J. Pe: Campbell... 2.2m eee Oct. 28 
Aug. 10:5.) First Texas, Col’ W..Ho Mabry.vor.2 eau a eee Oct. 22 
Aug. 11... First Louisiana, Col. W. L. Stevens.............. Oct. 38F 
Aug.13 .);.. First: Alabama, Cot. K.:O. Hredon...). 4s ueeen Sep. 16 
Aug. 13 ...One Hundred Sixty-First Ind., Col. W. T. Durbin. .Oct. 23 
Aug. 15... Sixth Missouri, Col. Letcher ‘Hardeman DAA. Dec. 9 
Aug. 19... Fourth Immunes, Col. James S. Pettit............ Oct. 10 
Aug.28 3) First\Ohio) Coll Ci(C tiunti 0) oo we Sep. 13 
Sep. 16.... Second South Carolina, Col. Wm. Jones.......... Oct. 21 


The departure of the First Wisconsin on September 6 was 
followed at irregular intervals by other regiments for mus- 
tering out, until eleven had gone, including the First Louisi- 
ana, which was mustered out at Jacksonville. On October 
4, the Fourth Immunes entrained for Fernandina en route to 
Cuba. About this time the Government ordered the transfer 
of the camp from here to Savannah, and the first to leave for 





{Mustered out at Jacksonville. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 213 


the new camp was a battalion of the Fourth Illinois, the 
balance of the regiment following a few days afterward. The 
Sixth Missouri was the last to leave Camp Cuba Libre, a bat- 
talion of that regiment remaining here until December 9, to 
guard property. The final closing of Camp Cuba Libre was 
on January 11, 1899, when the last soldier departed; by a 
strange relation of names he was Capt. R. E. Lee, of the 
Sixth Missouri. 


St. Johns River Fortifications 


The survey of the river made by General Wilson in March, 
1898, resulted in a decision to erect emplacements for 8-inch 
breech-loading rifles at St. Johns Bluff, and the construction 
of these works was begun early in April. On April 15, the 
United States flag was hoisted there, to speak defiance to the 
Spanish, who from this same elevation made the charge upon 
the French fort, Caroline, 333 years before. St. Johns Bluff 
had now witnessed the flags of five nations flying over near- 
by fortifications, in turn French, Spanish, English, Spanish, 
Confederate, and United States—a historic spot indeed. 

Great difficulty was experienced in getting the big guns 
to the top of the bluff. A “tram road” was laid up the slope 
and they were pulled up by power. The works were com- 
pleted about the time Cervera’s fleet was destroyed, the event 
which made it plain that no heliograph or wig-wag message 
would ever be sent from the signal station on Mt. Cornelia, 
Fort George Island, to the battery on St. Johns Bluff that a 
Spanish fleet was off the bar. 


*The battery at St. Johns Bluff was dismantled in October, 
1899, and the guns sent to Pensacola; but the concrete works 
and ammunition bomb-proofs still remain in almost perfect 
condition. The position is accessible for automobiles and is 
well worth a visit, not only for the historic interest, but also 
for the magnificent view obtained of the St. Johns River; for 
today, as Laudonniere said in his time, “A man may behold the 
meadows divided asunder into isles and islets, interlacing one 
another, a place so pleasant that those who are melancholic 
would be enforced to change their humour”. 


In July, 1898, the channel between St. Johns Bluff and 
the mouth of the river was mined with dynamite mines, and 
navigation practically closed for a while. The test station 


214 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


where the mines were tested before placing in the river, was 
at the base of the bluff. A distressing accident occurred 
here; while undergoing test, a mine exploded, killing two men 
and seriously wounding an officer: The mines in the river 
were exploded late in September, 1898, and the channel 
cleared. 


Local Conditions During the War 


When General Lee designated Jacksonville as the com- 
missary depot of the Seventh Army Corps, and issued notice 
that so far as practicable supplies would be purchased locally, 
it meant a great deal to the merchants carrying the neces- 
sary lines. The wholesale provision and hay houses reaped a 
harvest. During the five months the troops were here, they 
were paid $2,160,000 and this too in large measure was spent 
in Jacksonville. It has been said that some valuable business 
property in the down-town section represents profits derived 
from concessions at the camp. In a business way the camp 
did much for Jacksonville. 

Barring the wave of typhoid that swept Camp Cuba Libre, 
the service of the volunteers here was not an unpleasant one. 
The men, of course, were under military discipline, but “off 
duty”, and that was often, they flocked to the city, bent on 
having a grand, good time. Unfortunately there was consid- 
erable drunkenness among the soldiers, as Jacksonville was a 
wide-open liquor town in those days. It was considered only a 
prank when one day an officer rode his horse into a saloon, up 
to the bar and took his drink on horseback. And another, as 
Mary and Martha, the police-patrol horses, galloped by in an- 
swer to a call, a squad of soldiers jumped aboard and broke 
“Black Maria” down. Again when a company swooped down 
upon a squatter commissary near the camp, and with kind 
consideration left the proprietor the remnants of pasteboard 
boxes and paper sacks. So the camp news day by day was 
filled with echoes such as these. It did not seem like war, 
but more like a large body of troops off on a frolic. 

This body of men was made up of the flower of young 
manhood of their respective States, as volunteers for war 
usually are. A strong attachment grew up between them 
and the people of Jacksonville. The residents invited them 
freely into their homes. During the sickness at the camp 
delicacies of all kinds were sent out to them; many ladies of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 215 


the city volunteered their services and assisted the Red Cross 
nurses in the work, while in numbers of cases convalescents 
were transferred to the homes here, and nursed back to 
health by members of the family. Lasting friendships and 
some happy marriages resulted. When the time came for 
the soldiers to go, Jacksonville saw them leave with regret. 
They did not forget; when the city was burned in 1901, ex- 
pressions of sympathy came from all over the country from 
them and contributions to the relief fund too, the New Jersey 
regiment, as a body, contributing substantially to the fund. 


216 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1898 


March 25: Stonewall Jackson Camp, Sons of Confederate 
Veterans, organized at preliminary meeting. Permanently 
organized April 1, 1898. Officers: T. T. Stockton, com- 
mandant; Jack Maxwell, first lieutenant commander; F. P. 
Fleming, Jr., second lieutenant commander; C. N. Welshans, 
adjutant. 


May 6: F. C. & P. through passenger train from Pensa- 
cola ran into an open switch in the terminal yards; engineer 
Amos Roberts was killed and fireman J. Sewall died from 
injuries. 

June 16: The Confederate monument in St. James Park 
(now Hemming Park) was unveiled by Miss Sarah Elizabeth 
Call, accompanied by a salute of thirteen guns by Wilson’s 
Battery. This was during the Spanish-American war, and 
taking part in the ceremonies were regiments of both South- 
ern and Northern menof Camp Cuba Libre. General Fitzhugh 
Lee was in the reviewing stand, while on the piazza of the 
Windsor hotel stood a grandson of General U.S. Grant. Thus 
both the North and the South were represented in the un- 
veiling of this monument to the valor of the Confederate 
soldiers of Florida, a gift to the State by Charles C. Hem- 
ming, a former resident of Jacksonville and a private in the 
Jacksonville Light Infantry in the War Between the States. 


July 9: Clyde Line steamer Delaware was burned off 
Barnegat, N. J.; passengers and crew were all landed safely. 


December 22: The Mayport, new steamboat built to ply 
between Mayport and Jacksonville, caught afire at her dock 
in Mayport, was cut loose and drifted out to sea burning. 


1899 
Severe Freeze 


February 12-13: The afternoon and early evening of the 
12th were rainy and very cold. About 9 p.m. rain changed 
to sleet and an hour later turned into snow. It snowed nearly 
all night, and by sunrise of the 13th, the ground was covered 
to a depth of two inches, not considering drifts, and the tem- 
perature stood around 10 degrees F. The temperature con- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 217 


1899 

tinued below freezing all day of the 13th, not rising above 
27 degrees; snow remained on the ground all day, and in 
sheltered places for several days afterward. The vegetable 
crops were destroyed, fruit trees killed and some forest trees 
hurt beyond recovery. Widespread damage resulted to the 
plumbing of the city and plumbers were kept busy for two 
months making repairs. This was the coldest weather since 
the freeze of 1835. 


March 12: The plant of the Cummer Lumber Company 
northeast of the city was destroyed by fire. The loss was 
estimated at $253,000. 


April 14: Joseph Jefferson opened an engagement in 
Jacksonville with “What Shall We Do With Her’. This was 
followed by the other plays that had made him famous as an 
actor, including “Rip Van Winkle”. 


May 20: Cigar factory of G. H. Gato in North Springfield 
burned. 


September: Jacksonville quarantined against South Flor- 
ida on account of yellow fever there; it was a modified quar- 
antine. 


October 5: The first wireless message received in Florida 
came to the Florida Times-Union and Citizen reporting the 
progress of the yacht race between the Columbia and the 
Shamrock. The Marconi system was used. The service was 
satisfactory and frequent bulletins were posted from wire- 
less reports. 


November 18: The wholesale grocery house of Baker & 
Holmes Co., and the supply house of E. O. Painter & Co., 
together with considerable surrounding property in the via- 
duct section, were burned in a fire that resulted in a property 
loss of $100,000. 


1900 


March 2: Fire destroyed McMurray & Baker’s wagon 
factory at Main and Church Streets; three firemen injured; 
property loss $20,000. 


March 24: Admiral and Mrs. George Dewey visited Jack- 


218 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1900 
sonville. They were entertained at the Windsor hotel and 
given a royal reception here. 


June 7: Lightning struck the ferryboat Commodore 
Barney while she was on the ways in South Jacksonville un- 
dergoing repairs, and killed four negro laborers and severely 
shocked eleven other men. 


June 19-22: Last Democratic State convention was held 
at Jacksonville. It was a memorable one, not only because 
it was the last convention of the kind held in the State, the 
system being changed afterward to the primary system, but 
also for the number of ballots necessary for a nomination for 
Governor. The candidates were, W. S. Jennings, Fred T. 
Myers, W. H. Milton, D. H. Mays and J. D. Beggs. All with- 
drew except Jennings and Milton, and on the 44th ballot 
Jennings was nominated, receiving 192 votes and Milton 90. 


August 21-25: Jacksonville Light Infantry and Atlanta 
Artillery on encampment at Pablo Beach, named “Camp 
Wheeler’”’. 


December 27: Dr. Neal Mitchell purchased the Forsyth 
Street side of the Everett hotel (now the Aragon) from the 
Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co., for, according to the local 
news item, $30,000. 





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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 219 


CITY DESTROYED BY FIREt 
(Friday, May 3, 1901) 


Shortly before 12:30 p.m., May 3, 1901, sparks from a 
nearby negro shanty ignited particles of fibre laid out to dry 
on the platform of the Cleaveland Fibre Factory, located in 
LaVilla, at Beaver and DavisStreets. Watchmen soon noticed 
the jets of flame and poured bucket after bucket of water on 
the burning mass, but other fragments of this highly inflam- 
mable material took up the flame and carried it into the fac- 
tory building. The immense room was at once a roaring fur- 
nace. In the meantime an alarm had been sent in, at 12:35 
p.m., but when the firemen arrived with their horse-drawn 
apparatus, the building was already doomed. A fresh west- 
northwest wind was blowing, and when the roof of the fac- 
tory fell in, particles of burning fibre were carried away and 
fell upon neighboring buildings, whose wooden roofs were 
as combustible as tinder, owing to the prolonged drought. 
The fire then spread from house to house, seemingly with the 
rapidity with which a man could walk. 


Progress of the Fire 


By one o’clock, Hansontown, a suburb of pine shanties, 
northwest of the city, was all on fire, and not long afterward 
the flames spread eastward to Bridge (Broad) Street. The 
wind had gradually increased, and burning shingles were 
carried into the city proper; the firemen, standing under a 
canopy of smoke and flame, were even now powerless to 
cope with the conflagration. About this time telegrams were 
sent to St. Augustine, Savannah, Fernandina, Brunswick, 
and Waycross, for assistance. The Fernandina company 
was the first to arrive, and two hours and thirty minutes 
after the message was sent to Savannah most of that de- 
partment was at the union station here. These companies 
performed valuable services.? 

The following account of the progress of the fire was 
given in the Florida Times-Union and Citizen, May 4, 1901: 


With incredible speed the fire spread, continuing to widen its 
devastating line of march. By 2:45 o’clock (p.m.) the handsome resi- 
dences in the vicinity of Julia and Church Streets were blazing, the 





7Bibliography: aflorida Times-Union and Citizen, May 4, 5, 6, 7, 1901; b*‘Acres of 
Ashes,” by Benjamin Harrison; cFinal Reports of the Jacksonville Relief Association. 


220 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


flames in the meantime having converted into smoking piles of ashes 
the thickly built portion of Ashley Street, between Cedar and Hogan. 
The vast majority of these houses, as indeed are most of the residences 
in Jacksonville, were frame structures. They burned like cigar boxes, 
like chaff, as the thundering, mighty, lurid storm-wave of fire rolled to 
the east, ever to the east, and swept the area bare. 

At twenty minutes past 3 the Windsor Hotel was in a blaze. This 
great box-like building, covering the entire block bounded by Hogan, 
Duval, Julia, and Monroe Streets, burned with awful fury. Fortunately 
all the guests had warning and the building’s upper floors were empty 
when the fire came. The burning of a hotel like the Windsor would 
ordinarily be regarded as a disaster in itself, but yesterday it lapsed 
into relative insignificance, even though alone its destruction involved 
a loss of $175,000. 

A few minutes later the St. James, which has been closed since 
April 19, was a mass of flames. Although partly a brick structure, it, 
too, burned like tinder. By this time, in the general cataclysm of de- 
struction the loss of individual buildings was lost sight of. Isolated 
houses, one and two hundred yards to the eastward, were burning, and 
fresh nuclei of flame were being added. Still progress was steadily to 
the east. Twenty minutes prior to the ignition of the St. James, houses 
here and there east on Duval from Laura were burning. All in a mo- 
ment a blinding typhoon of smoke and dust came with overwhelming 
power, blowing eastward, and it was necessary for those in the street 
to run to escape it. 

For a time it seemed that the fierce advance was straight to the 
east. House after house succumbed. No effort was made to save 
buildings now. Every one knew that to save any building in the track 
of the fury was impossible, and on and on it sped. Churches, public 
buildings, and shops were destroyed. 

At 4:30 o’clock St. John’s Episcopal Church neighborhood was the 
center of the conflagration. It lived but a few minutes. The Catholic 
Church of the Immaculate Conception, St. Joseph’s Orphanage and the 
Convent soon fell prey to the devourer. Now the blaze raged along Duval 
and Adams, but the wind changed and the conquering blaze veered to 
the south. The armory was burned. In the space of a few minutes the 
fire crossed blocks southward, and beautiful home after home became 
a torch, its light lost in the monstrous mass of red illumination. The 
Duval Street viaduct was on fire at 5 o’clock. The vacant meadow 
over which it passes was covered with furniture and household goods. 

The fires were raging all this time in the section north of Adams 
and east of Laura. The Massey Business College building became ig- 
nited on Main Street, and irresistibly the flames swept toward Bay 
Street. 

Until now it was thought that Bay Street would escape, but the 
thought was in vain. The terror was bending in a fatal embrace to the 
South. The roar and the crackle resounded as the great pinions of flame 
moved skyward, sending showers of cinders far into the St. Johns. The 
Emery Auditorium was a victim. Then the Board of Trade building, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 221 


the Seminole Club, the Metropolis publication building, the City Hall 
building and market, and the Hubbard building in turn were burned. In 
the last were great stores of dynamite, powder and ammunition, and 
there was explosion after explosion, adding to the dangers that sur- 
rounded the firemen on every side. 

Then to Bay Street the flames ate their way. The new Furchgott 
building was in a few minutes blazing, and the leap to the Gardner 
building, towering six stories high, was easy. The heat was intolerable. 
Building after building on the opposite side of the street was soon a 
mass of flames, 

Night had fallen. Looking east from Hogan, Bay Street from 
Laura and beyond, showed only the reddened scene of fire. From the 
windows of the Commercial Bank Building (southeast corner of Bay 
and Laura), the serpentine tongues were shooting. It was soon a 
skeleton. It seemed that there was nothing to prevent the fire’s ad- 
vance westward. All the afternoon, the Western Union offices, corner 
Laura and Bay, were crowded with people sending messages. The 
Western Union force stood to their posts nobly. The young ladies of 
the force, cool and calm, were standing to their posts, even when the 
building forty feet across the street was crumbling. 

It was feared that the flames would creep westward, burning the 
dockage and entire water front and the Bay Street buildings west of 
Laura, wiping out the buildings between. But the fire department was 
making a gallant stand. Engines were placed at Hogan and Bay, play- 
ing steadily on the buildings at Laura and Bay. 

About 7:30 o’clock the wind died. It was a blessed relief. The 
flames had lapped up everything in their way from the Cleaveland 
factory to the Duval Street viaduct, and back on Bay to Laura. The 
flames were under control at 8:30 p.m. 


The rapid on-rush of the flames caught many people in a 
trap at the foot of Market Street. This was called the 
Market Street Horror, because for a time it was thought that 
there was a heavy loss of life at this point. But all escaped 
except Henry Bounetheau and an unknown negro man.? 


Spirit of the People 


During the progress of the fire a blanket of smoke and 
flame covered the city, almost shutting out the light of day. 
Persons of every class and condition struggled in the streets, 
but the rough were tender now and the strong supported the 
weak. Kindly, brave, heroic deeds were done on every hand. 
Fainting women and terrified children were rescued from 
burning buildings by men whose all, except the clothes they 
wore, was even then being consumed. In the storm of fire, 


222 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


friends and relatives became separated; some one would take 
a child from its mother’s arms and proceed until a wave of 
humanity forced the two apart—then the mother’s voice 
would add a new terror to the uproar. When the churches 
caught, frenzied negroes yelled, “De Lawd am angry wid us, 
O, people, prepare to die!” and some would rush toward the 
flames, only to be caught and dragged away. Wagons piled 
high with household goods threaded their way through the 
crowds; then sparks would ignite the bedding, and a wild 
horse and a burning wagon would rush madly along the 
streets. Exhausted, one would drop a burden and another 
would take it up. I‘rom a flaming house furniture and bed- 
ding were taken by willing hands for some old lady, simply 
to gratify her, as everyone knew that wagons could not be 
had to move the things away. A gentleman hurrying down 
the street with a bundle of precious articles, overtook an aged 
couple pushing a sewing machine. ‘Madam, you must leave 
this and save your lives,” he said. ‘How can I, sir’, sobbed 
the old lady, ‘“‘This machine is the only support of my poor 
husband’. Without a word the gentleman threw away his 
bundle, raised the machine to his shoulder, and staggered 
on down the street, with the oid couple at his heels.° 

The human tide struggled on, whither no one knew. Then 
came the report that a new fire center had started ahead, cut- 
ting off retreat. Caught in a fire trap, the stream of humani- 
ty turned in the direction of Springfield, or to the docks along 
the river. At Market Street bridge over Hogan’s Creek, the 
jam of people made passage like that of swimming against 
the tide. Into this mass passed the whisper that the gas 
works nearby must soon explode. The struggle became 
fiercer, but at its fiercest a woman fell, and there was a gen- 
eral pause until she was lifted to her feet. By this time 
families in Springfield were loading their effects on wagons. 
Some had sent the women and children of their families to 
the suburbs, but now became uneasy about their fate, as the 
wildest rumors were afioat as to occurrences everywhere. 
Others wandered in front and around the flaming district 
seeking the lost—highly excited, but peaceable and helpful. 
Meanwhile, tugs and rowboats, launches and vessels of every 
kind were busy in removing those who had sought the 
wharves as a place of safety. There were thousands of nar- 
row escapes. Sick people were carried to places of supposed 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 223 


safety time after time, only to find yet another removal nec- 
essary. Men would shoulder a trunk and start down the 
street with it, but before going far the flames would over- 
take them, and they would drop the weight and run for life. 
Ladies left home and weve hurried away by anxious friends, 
but the fire would catch their dresses, and urge them on with 
pitiless lashing. A young lady hurrying down the street had 
her hat roughly pulled from her head; looking around in as- 
tonishment, she was met with “Madam, excuse me, but your 
hat is on fire.’ 

That night the inhabitants settled in vacant lots and un- 
der the trees of the surrounding territory. Here the fam- 
ilies were camped, with no attempt at separation; friends 
were twenty feet away and mourned for one another during 
all those terrible hours. Some had piled furniture so as to 
support bedding or rugs for a canopy, and so made an excuse 
for a tent and a pretense of privacy. In many cases a few 
trunks became a little house for a baby; from other little 
shelters issued the moans of the feeble and sick. But there 
was sympathy of the sweetest and dearest kind. Someone had 
brought a frying pan, another a coffee pot; there was a little 
money with which to buy food from the stores around. One 
woman had left her purse and all the belongings of a com- 
fortable home, but she had carried eight eggs in a small 
basket for hours. All these were shared. All shared what 


was the common stock, though none knew where he would ’ 


find his breakfast. Penetrating these groups came those 
whose houses in the suburbs had been spared. “Come with 
me’’, said a lady to a friend just found; “my house is safe.” 
“Have you room?” “TI have a crowd, many of whom are 
strangers to me, but I shall find a place for you.” All through 
the dreadful night parties and individuals, many of whom 
had likewise lost their homes, went among these groups, 
seeking to comfort and encourage them.’ Such was the spirit 
that animated the people. 


Relief Measures 


The morning after the fire the citizens assembled in mass- 
meeting in the U.S. Government building, to consider relief 
measures; a committee was appointed to act as a temporary 
relief committee. Among them were men who had gained 
experience in the yellow fever epidemic of 1888, and subse- 


224 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


quent measures were based largely upon this experience. At 
this meeting over $23,000 was pledged for relief purposes, 
and before noon food supplies were being issued to those in 
need of them. The next day, Sunday, the Jacksonville Re- 
lief Association was formally organized. On May 138, an ap- 
peal for assistance was sent out, followed two days later by 
a statement to the American people concerning the situation 
here. The generosity with which its own citizens and the peo- 
ple of the country at large dealt with the stricken city, is 
indicated by the report of the Association, as follows: Cash 
donations, $218,489.87 ; from other sources, $6,423.85; total, 
$224,913.72. The amount of supplies received outside of the 
eash contributions, such as food, clothing, tools, sewing ma- 
chines, etc., approximated $200,000. The various transpor- 
tation companies hauled these supplies free of charge, as did 
the express companies also. The Western Union Telegraph 
Company transmitted messages to and from the Association 
without charge.¢* 

In the distribution of supplies, eleven commissaries were 
established in different parts of the city, from which, in the 
beginning, ten to twelve thousand people were fed daily; the 
numbers were gradually reduced as the people became self- 
sustaining. The total number of rations issued was 200,242; 
pieces of clothing, 89,985; articles of bedding, 5,767; pairs of 
shoes, 2,728; sewing machines, 477, besides sundry articles 
of household supplies, and 172 sets of carpenters’ tools.¢ | 

For the purpose of giving employment to the idle, and at 
the same time to clean up the burned district, work was given 
to 1,673 persons and 113 teams. These cleaned more than 
22 miles of streets, filled up low and insanitary places, cut 
down thousands of tree trunks and telephone poles, dug up 
and hauled away over 3,000 stumps of trees, and removed 
debris from church, school, and hundreds of other lots in the 
burned district.¢ 

The work of the sanitation committee was devoted to re- 
moving dead animals and other noxious substances, repair- 
ing broken sewers, and maintaining sanitary conditions in the 
various relief camps. Through the labors of the lodging 
committee, within a short time after the fire, every homeless 
person in the community was provided with a temporary, 
but comfortable shelter. Twelve thousand tents were sent 
here by the U. S. Government. This committee distributed 





























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(Burned area in black) 






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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 225 


7,483 articles of bedding, besides articles of furniture and 
household utensils to those who had no means of providing 
these necessary articles for themselves. The transportation 
committee provided over 5,000 persons with transportation 
to all parts of the country. In most instances transportation 
was furnished free by the railroads and the steamboat lines. 
Appeals for help were referred to the emergency committee, 
for investigation; over 3,000 appeals were made in writing 
and thousands in person.* 


Women’s Auxiliary 


A women’s auxiliary was organized soon after the organi- 
zation of the relief association, and a great deal of suffering 
was relieved through the efforts of these ladies. They had 
a bureau of information, to which all women came and made 
known their needs; commissaries of food and supplies; a re- 
ceiving station; a dispensary, where medicines were kept; 
nurses were provided when necessary. They had a sewing 
tent, and many needy women were given employment mak- 
ing sheets, pillow cases and other articles, which were dis- 
tributed among the fire sufferers. They also had a purchas- 
ing department, an employment bureau, and a medical de- 
partment.¢ 


Notes on the Fire 


In 8 hours the fire swept an area 54 mile from north to 
south and 1% mile from west to east, embracing 466 acres 
in the oldest and most populous portion of the city. 

City blocks to the number of 146 were burned over, and 
2,368 buildings destroyed. Every public building, except the 
U. S. government building, was burned, together with the 
public records, though those of the county judge’s office in 
the court house went safely through the fire. Twenty-three 
churches and ten hotels were burned. 

Within the fire area only three buildings escaped—one at 
the northeast corner of Adams and Jefferson, another on the 
river front at the foot of Laura Street (the fire was checked 
here and the building is still standing, in the rear of the West 
Building, southeast corner of Laura and Bay Streets), and 
the third a small novelty works at Beaver and Washington 


226 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Streets—all at widely separated points at the very edge of 
the fire. 

The monument in Hemming Park, although centered in 
the hottest part of the fire, went through it all unscathed. 
About its base had been placed pile upon pile of household 
goods, and when these burned, fury and heat were added to 
that of the surrounding burning blocks; but only the cement 
at the base of the monument showed a reddened glow. The 
bronze soldier at the top stood firm amidst the withering 
torrent of fire about him. 

The fire crossed Adams Street at only one point west of 
Laura Street—between Cedar and Julia, where a small build- 
ing and some lumber were burned. It crossed Hogans Creek 
at one point, immediately east of Main Street, and burned 
Hammatt’s wood yard. The west half of Duval Street wooden 
viaduct over Hogans Creek, East Jacksonville, was burned. 

When the wind changed and blew from the north for a 
short time, the swirl of heat carried over the river caused 
a perfect waterspout to form and travel along the water 
front. No damage resulted from it, though several boats 
narrowly escaped destruction. Some of the excited citizens 
shot rifles at the waterspout in an attempt to break it up. 
Perhaps this is the only instance of record of such a phe- 
nomenon developing from artificial heat. 

From a careful compilation, 9,501 peopie were directly 
involved in the fire, in business or otherwise; 8,677 resided 
in the burned district and were rendered temporarily home- 
less. It was estimated that 15,000 were present in the burned 
area; that only 7 lives were lost was remarkable. Lives lost: 
White, Henry D. Bounetheau, Mrs. Waddy Thompson, Wil- 
liam Clark, Mrs. Solon Robinson, and Mrs. Grace Bradley ; 
colored, March Haynes and an unknown. 

The city and the county jails were burned, but the pris- 
oners were taken to a place of safety in advance of the fire. 
As a precautionary measure martial law was declared on May 
4. Besides the three local companies, troops from Starke, 
Tallahassee, Gainesville, Palatka, Live Oak, St. Augustine, 
Lake City, Orlando, and Jasper, and for a time detachments 
from the U.S. revenue cutters “Forward” and “Hamilton” 
were on duty in the city. The troops remained on duty three 
weeks, and a provisional company, formed from the three 
local companies, until July 138. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 227 


The total value of all the property destroyed by the fire 
was approximately $15,000,000, of which $4,000,000 was un- 
insured. Upon the remaining $11,000,000 there was insur- 
ance of $5,650,000. The net loss to property owners was 
therefore $9,350,000. It was the largest fire, both in area 
and property loss, ever experienced by any Southern city of 
the United States, record to 1924. The flare of the great 
conflagration was visible in Savannah, and its smoke was 
seen at Raleigh, N. C. 


Rebuilding 


The fire was on Friday afternoon. 

Saturday, the people spent in recovering from the daze 
of the appalling catastrophe. Those who had lost their 
homes set about finding shelter for their families or in locat- 
ing missing members and friends. The streets were still too 
hot to travel, but here and there where there was no brick 
paving people could be seen poking into the ruins in an effort 
to recover some lost possession. Even now the narrow fringe 
of blocks south of Adams Street west of Laura was being 
made ready for the business of Jacksonville, with partitions 
and shelving going up. (Here for several months merchants, 
bankers, doctors, lawyers, real estate agents, contractors, 
saloon keepers and others of every line of business elbowed 
their way in and out of this congested district.) 

Sunday, worship was held in the parks or under the trees 
outside of the fire district. A shower of rain had cooled the 
streets somewhat and property owners were everywhere 
looking the situation over. Some could be seen stepping off 
or measuring as a preliminary thought to rebuilding. Relief 
measures were taking form and by Sunday night the people 
had pretty well collected themselves. 

Monday, May 6, the rebuilding of Jacksonville began. 
Building permit No. 1 was granted to Rudolph Grunthal for 
a temporary shack at the northwest corner of Main and State 
Streets, but a mile away, at the Merrill-Stevens plant, sills 
were already laid for the first structure to come under shed 
in the burned area. In a few days temporary shacks were 
springing up everywhere. The first brick for a permanent 
structure in the fire district was laid May 21 for a building 
at the corner of Adams and Bridge (Broad) Streets owned 


228 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


by Porcher L’Engle. Henceforth the rebuilding of Jackson- 
ville was upon a scale too extended to follow in detail. By 
the end of the year 1901 the number of building permits for 
permanent structures in the burned area represented nearly 
one-half the number of buildings destroyed in the fire. 

The labor situation during this time was, as a whole, sat- 
isfactory. The building trades immediately after the fire 
issued notice that there would be no advance in their wage 
scales. At first there was some complaint that laborers were 
leaving their jobs and subsisting upon the relief commissaries, 
but the system of distribution was soon changed so as to 
prevent this. There was a flurry in the lumber mills caused 
by a demand for a 10% raise in wages. All in all, however, 
there was no serious set-back in the first year of Jackson- 
ville’s rebuilding; the people were not in a humor to put up 
with wrangling or strife, and when labor agitators appeared 
here in connection with a cigar strike at Tampa they were 
run out of Jacksonville. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 229 


1901 


June 17: Fire in the Foster building at the northwest 
corner of Bay and Clay Streets resulted in a property loss of 
$40,000. 


July: The Clark building, better known as Castle hall, on 
West Forsyth Street near Laura, was sold for $25,000; and 
the vacant lot 107x120 at the southeast corner of Main and 
Forsyth for $30,000. 


September 9: Henry Clark’s sawmill on East Bay Street 
was destroyed by fire; loss $45,000. 


September 21: Main Street car line extended to Phenix 
park and park opened. The name “Phenix” was suggested 
by Mrs. F. Q. Brown, wife of the president of the street car 
company, in commemoration of Jacksonville’s rise from its 
ashes. 


November 6: City council passed an ordinance designed 
to separate white and colored passengers on street cars; 
contested by the negroes. 


November 19-24: Florida State fair held in a tent 
150x300 feet; located at grounds of Jacksonville Driving 
Club at Hogan and Eighth Streets, Springfield. 


December: Full lot, 105 feet square, at the southeast 
corner of Hogan and Forsyth Streets (where Seminole Hotel 
is now), including wooden store buildings sold for $48,000. 


1902 


February 16: Jacksonville Lodge, Knights of Columbus, 
instituted with 50 members by D. J. Callahan, Territorial 
State Deputy of Virginia. Officers: J. D. Burbridge, grand 
knight; P. A. Dignan, deputy grand knight; J. F. Meade, 
chancellor. 


July 18: Carpenters’ strike; demand 8-hour day and 
wage scale of 25 cents. A general strike in building trades 
in Jacksonville was called the next day, and practically all 
work upon construction under way was stopped. Estimated 
that 2,500 men were out. The strike lasted officially nearly 
a month, but the backbone was broken long before when 


9230 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1902 
many men returned to their jobs upon the 9-hour day plan, 
but with a slight increase in the wage scale. 


July 27: Pier and warehouse at the foot of Catherine 
Street used by the Clyde Boston Line was destroyed by fire; 
loss $30,000. 


October 1: Consolidated Naval Stores Company organ- 
ized in Jacksonville with a capital of $3,000,000; W. C. Powell, 
president. 


1903 


February 11: Florida Automobile Association organized: 
W. W. Cummer, president ; Charles A. Clark, Fred E. Gilbert, 
John G. Christopher, vice-presidents; F. P. Hoover, secre- 
tary; M. Hoover, treasurer. This was the first automobile 
club in the State and its purpose was to create interest in 
automobiles and good roads generally. 


April 17: Organization of the first Mothers’ Club in rela- 
tion to the schools of Jacksonville: Mrs. W. W. Cummer, 
president; Mrs. R. Pollard, secretary. This was the start of 
the Mother’s Clubs that were afterward united in the fed- 
eration. 


May 13: A week of heavy rains terminated on May 138th 
in a downpour that lasted several hours and covered all low 
places with a sheet of water. From Bridge (Broad) Street 
to the union depot and throughout the railroad yards was 2 
lake, caused by the overflow of McCoys Creek. Row boats 
were used in that locality and a naphtha launch crossed Bay 
Street near the depot. Springfield park and the waterworks 
grounds were flooded. It was the worst flood in Jacksonville’s 
history and damage to railroad trackage was heavy. There 
was no flood-wash, however, and no loss of life. 


september 8-16: Encampment of State troops at Camp 
Jennings at the old fairgrounds in Fairfield. 


November 2-7: Gala Week and Trades Carnival, the most 
elaborate carnival ever held in Jacksonville. The United 
States Government cooperated by sending a troop of the 
famous Seventh Cavalry, a battery of artillery from Fortress 
Monroe, and the warship “Newport”, and the British sent 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 231 


1903 

the warship “Alert”. The city was fully decorated. The 
stage lay between the St. Johns River and the carnival 
grounds on Eighth Street, and for five days the crowds 
surged back and forth with a spirit of fun and frolic and 
such good nature that during the week the police made only 
75 arrests. Each night the festivities closed with a spec- 
tacular display of Pain’s fireworks. There were elaborate 
coronation ceremonies: W. F. Coachman was King and Mrs. 
W. Pruden Smith Queen of the Carnival. 


1904 


April 29: First games of the South Atlantic Baseball 
League: At Macon, Macon 10, Jacksonville 2; at Augusta, 
Augusta 7, Columbia 8; at Savannah, Savannah 0, Charles- 
ton 3. 

August 30: The new Duval theatre was christened by 
Jacksonville Rifles’ Home Minstrels. 


September 20: New ferryboat Duval, built at Jacksonville, 
made her first trip on regular run between South Jacksonville 
and Jacksonville. 


October 24-29: Trades Carnival. The carnival this year 
was successful, but not as elaborate as that of 1908. Rain 
interfered considerably with the festivities. 


October 25: Fire in the E. O. Painter fertilizer plant in 
the viaduct section caused a damage of $30,000. 


1905 


March 5: A boiler explosion in the city electric light plant 
in Springfield at 4:45 p. m., caused the death of Fred W. Ellis, 
chief engineer; L. N. Cairo, a visitor, and John Davis, negro 
fireman at the plant. A part of the building was wrecked by 
the explosion. 


March 16: The owners of the old St. James hotel prop- 
- erty (the entire square bounded by Duval, Church, Laura 
and Hogan Streets) offered to convey the property to the 
City of Jacksonville for the sum of $75,000 if the city would 
accept the same and forever maintain it as a public park to 
be known as St. James Park. There were no strings tied to 


232 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1905 


the proposition and the city was given the privilege to pay 
for it in installments. The city turned the proposition down. 


April 3: F. E. Gilbert, driving a Victoria touring car, 
made the first through automobile trip from Jacksonville to 
the beach. He described it as a “terrible journey”. 


July 1: “Jim Crow” law passed by the last Legislature 
became effective in Jacksonville. The negroes boycotted the 
ears and contested the law, which was later declared uncon- 
stitutional by the Supreme Court. 


August 22: Cashen’s sawmill in East Jacksonville was 
destroyed by fire. 


October 17: City Council passed a new “Jim Crow” law, 
effective November 7, 1905. 


October 21: President Theodore Roosevelt visited Jack- 
sonville. | 


1906 


April 12-13: Automobile races at Atlantic Beach. Joe 
Lander, of Atlanta, drove a Thomas car 5 miles in 4 minutes 
55 seconds and 1 mile in 57% seconds, breaking the existing 
world’s record for stock cars. 


April 28: City cremator in Stewart’s Addition destroyed 
by fire. 


May 7: Naval stores yards of Wernicke-Mariner Chem- 
ical Co., in the western part of the city, suffered a $65,000 
fire loss. 


October 9: Fire gutted J. D. Horn’s Department Store at 
7-9 E. Bay Street; loss $35,000. 


December 26: Wilson Dry Goods Co., Bay and Hogan 
Streets, burned out with a loss of $25,000. 


The year was marked by general building activity in all 
parts of the city and suburbs. Among the larger business 
buildings completed were the Consolidated and the Realty 
Buildings. Murray Hill subdivision was put on the market. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 233 


Ice Trust Cases, 1906 


Charging combination in restraint of trade and extortion 
in the price of ice, W. J. Bryan, county solicitor, worked the 
case up against the local ice companies into many counts and 
started suit. The companies were acquitted on the first 
count, and there was a mistrial on the next; but there were 
twenty-odd more to come. After the second trial the ice 
companies agreed to the demands of the attorney and dis- 
solved the combining agreements, lowered the price of ice, 
offered better service and equipped their wagons with scales. 
These suits gained wide publicity. 


1907 


January 10: Ralph Owen, driving an Oldsmobile, reached 
Jacksonville from New York, having made the run in 15 days. 
First through trip by automobile. Owen was accorded a 
great reception by automobilists here. 


March 9: Dixieland Amusement Park along the river- 
front of South Jacksonville opened. This was an attempt to 
afford a place of general amusement for the people of Jack- 
sonville and vicinity, a place where entertainments, fairs, 
theatricals, athletics, and contests of every character could 
be held. When finally completed it was an attractive resort 
and was well supported for a time; but when the novelty 
wore off it began to go down and finally collapsed. 


April 18: Severest hailstorm in the history of this section 
swept over the vicinity at 3:45 p. m., accompanied by a ter- 
rific wind. Much damage was caused in Dixieland Amuse- 
ment Park. A tug boat was sunk and its captain drowned 
and another man was blown from a pile-driver and drowned. 
No serious damage resulted in the city, except a wholesale 
breakage of glass by hail. The hailstones in some instances 
were two inches in diameter and in sheltered places remained 
unmelted until the next day. 


June: First officers of the Town of Pablo appointed by 
the governor: Mayor, H. M. Shockley; treasurer, J. Denham 
Bird; clerk, G. W. Wilkerson; city council, J. E. Dickerson, 
E. E. Willard, William Wilkerson, E. E. Suskind, Alexander 
Stevens, W. H. Shutter, C. M. Greiner, T. H. Griffith, C. H. 
Mann. 


OF ILL OT 


234 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1907 
June: First officers of Town of South Jacksonville ap- 
pointed by the governor: Mayor, S. M. Scruggs; clerk and 
assessor, J. F. White; treasurer and collector, W. W. Swaim; 
marshal, Percy Bowden; council, H. B. Philips, E.C. Broward, 
O. H. Buchanan, W. P. Belote, E. A. Pabor. 


August 4: Armour fertilizer factory struck by lightning, 
caught afire and was destroyed. 


August 12: Union operators in the telegraph offices left 
their keys under general strike orders. 


December 20: The building No. 421-27 W. Forsyth Street 
destroyed by fire at 2 a. m.; loss $60.000. Occupied by a 
vehicle company and for storage purposes. 


Money Panic of 1907 


Starting with the failure of a brokerage concern in New 
York on October 22, a frenzy of fear spread like wildfire 
over the country, and immediately banks everywhere began 
fighting one another to secure and hold as large a supply of 
currency as possible. They could not issue additional bank 
notes to meet the emergency because in order to do so they 
would have had to purchase government bonds which would 
have depleted their funds still further. Many of them issued 
substitutes for cash, such as clearing-house certificates, and 
it was afterward ascertained that $500,000,000 of this “‘panic 
money” was issued in the United States during the last three 
months of 1907. Savings banks usually availed themselves 
of the 60 days’ notice provision. In many instances continu- 
ous holidays were declared, especially noticeable being the 
instance of California when October 31 to December 31 was 
declared a continuous holiday, in order to enable the banks 
to decline payment and to prevent the forcing of collections 
that would have driven many business houses into bank- 
ruptcy. Numbers of large business establishments in differ- 
ent parts of the country went into the hands of receivers, 
while railroads suspended improvements and threw their 
stocks on the market. 

During all of this confusion and fear it speaks well for 
Jacksonville’s banking institutions that they issued no clear- 
ing-house certificates and did not limit withdrawals. There 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 235 


was no bank failure here. Considerable labor unemployment 
resulted from the curbing of building operations during the 
panic, principally in city improvements. Work on the new 
Seaboard shops was stopped for a while. New construction 
plans were temporarily abandoned. But the storm soon blew 
over and Jacksonville emerged without an important business 
failure, perhaps as few cities of its size had done, due, it was 
said, to some extent to the fact that the people had been made 
calamity proof by the trying times of 1888 and 1901, and 
knew how to keep their heads. 


1908 


Jacksonville recovered rapidly from the business depres- 
sion of the preceding fall and general building operations and 
improvements were soon under way again, showing plainly 
that the progress here increasing year after year since the 
fire of 1901, was substantial and legitimate. 

The bridge over McGirts Creek to Ortega was built and 
soon afterward an extension of the street car line made that 
subdivision accessible. Street car lines in Springfield were 
also extended and made possible the development of the west- 
ern part of that suburb. In the summer work started on 
Jacksonville’s first ten-story building and this marked the 
beginning of a five-year epoch in which all of the skyscrapers 
forming the skyline of the city today were either completed 
or commenced. 


All in all it was the most prosperous year Jacksonville 
had ever experienced up to that time, notwithstanding the 
so-called panic of 1907. There were unusual events, plenty 
of them, during the year, but they were of a nature properly 
belonging to other chapters and are recorded there. 


1909 


February 24: Fire destroyed the Taylor block, south side 
of Forsyth Street between Main and Laura. The building 
was occupied by Jacksonville Electric Co.; offices, and lodge 
rooms. Loss including contents about $75,000. 


March 27-April 17: Spring meet (horse racing) at Mon- 
crief race track. 


CLOUT 80 YUEN SIT 


236 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1909 
August: First pneumatic cash system in Florida installed 
in Cohen’s department store on Bay Street. 


September 25: Jacksonville-Miami Steamship line opened 
with the departure of the steamer ‘“‘Magic City”. The line 
did not prove a success. The Magic City was sunk in a colli- 
sion near Mayport February 16, 1910. 


September 25: Dutch S. 8S. Zeeburg was driven on the 
south jetty by high winds. Became a total wreck. 


October 3: First taxi service in Jacksonville was inaugu- 
rated by a company headed by J. E. T. Bowden. The fleet 
numbered fifteen, all Fords. A week later the cab drivers 
went out on strike because an employee had been discharged. 


October: A $40,000 fire on Bridge (Broad) Street be- 
tween Forsyth and Adams. A building owned by J. E. T. 
Bowden was destroyed with heavy damage to the Newport 
hotel. 


November 20: First wireless commercial message re- 
ceived in Jacksonville ; it came from the Clyde steamer Huron 
out at sea to the wireless station on the Aragon hotel, making 
reservations for passengers aboard. 


November 25: Race meet opened. St. James stables and 
other well-known horses here. 


December 5: Warehouse fire; occupied by West, Flynn, 
Harris Co., and C. W. Bartleson Co. ; $50,000 damage. 


December 20: High pressure fire service in the business 
district put in operation. 


1910 


March 15: Fountain memorial to Mrs. B. F. Dillon 
unveiled in Springfield Park. The memorial was erected by 
the Springfield Improvement Association in appreciation of 
Mrs. Dillon’s efforts for the civic improvement of Springfield. 


March 18: The launch “Dispatch”, owned by Capt. Seth 
Perkins, came through the inland waterway from St. Augus- 
tine to the St. Johns; opening of the canal and the first boat 
to make the trip. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 237 


1910 
April 1: Boat house of the Florida Power Boat Club in 
Riverside destroyed by fire and along with it 13 locally owned 
power boats, among them several fast racing boats. 


July 4: When the result of the Jeffreys-Johnson prize 
fight in Reno became known in Jacksonville bands of negroes 
assembled in the western part of the city and rumors of 
trouble began to spread. Crowds of whites patrolled the 
down-town section and as might be expected there were fre- 
quent disturbances. Brickbats were used in some cases and 
at one time it appeared as though serious rioting could not 
be avoided. The saloons were ordered closed and the police 
took extra precautions. The event passed over without any- 
one being killed. 


July 28: Formal opening of Atlantic Boulevard, South 
Jacksonville to Mayport road. 


History of Atlantic Boulevard 

Soon after the Jacksonville & Atlantic railroad was com- 
pleted to Pablo Beach (1884) E. F. Gilbert acquired a tract 
of land at the beach for development purposes. He promoted 
the idea of a road from South Jacksonville to Pablo, a wagon 
road, for this was long before the appearance of the auto- 
mobile. At his own personal expense he engaged a surveyor, 
Francis LeBaron, to lay off a route and after severe hard- 
ships in the swamps and marshes they finally completed the 
survey. Mr. Gilbert now got up a petition signed by prom- 
inent people, requesting the County Commissioners to build 
a road using convict labor. This they finally agreed to do 
and the work started in September, 1892. About two-thirds 
of the distance was graded and the first bridge to span Pablo 
Creek was built when there was a change in the membership 
of the board and the work was soon afterward abandoned. 

In 1902, the question of an improved road to the beach 
was revived by Fred E. Gilbert, pioneer automobile dealer of 
Jacksonville, who took up the work started by his father. 
It was a long fight with much opposition from various sources . 
and it was not until the spring of 1906, when the first auto- 
mobile races were held at Atlantic Beach, that the appeal for 
a hard road to the beach became generally accepted as a 
necessity. The matter was frequently before the board of 


238 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


County Commissioners, but no agreement could be reached 
as to what kind of material to use. It was at this stage when 
the panic in the fall of 1907 spread over the country and the 
whole matter was temporarily dropped. 

Again the road question was revived soon after the first 
of the year (1908) and the matter definitely decided to build 
the road, a part of it shell and the balance brick. Actual 
work started in May, 1908. On December 138, 1908, though 
the road was only partially completed, an automobile party 
headed by Charles A. Clark passed over it, making the run 
from South Jacksonville to Pablo Beach in 1 hour and 45 
minutes. These were the first automobiles to pass over the 
future Atlantic Boulevard. 

The road continued in a partially completed condition for 
another year and a half and it was not until July 28, 1910, that 
the formal opening of the highway was celebrated. A hun- 
dred or more decorated cars moved in parade through the 
down-town streets, then crossed over on the ferry and as- 
sembled in South Jacksonville. The christening took place 
at the new concrete bridge over Little Pottsburg Creek, when 
Miss Marie Hyde broke a bottle of champagne over the north 
approach and officially christened the road ‘‘Atlantic Boule- 
vard’”’. The assemblage then drove to the beach to witness 
automobile racing by local drivers. The ceremonies ended 
with a brilhant banquet at the Continental Hotel. This cele- 
bration marked the completion of the road from South Jack- 
sonville to the end of the Mayport road. Some months later 
the boulevard was extended to Neptune and a big celebration 
of the event was held at Pablo. 

The building of Atlantic Boulevard was the beginning of 
highway development in Florida and it started the agitation 
for highways in the Southeast, for as soon as it was com- 
pleted scouts were sent out to blaze the way for what then 
became highly advertised as a prospective Atlanta-Jackson- 
ville highway. This agitation eventually resulted in the 
construction of the highways out of Jacksonville northward. 

The increasing travel over the road to the beach finally 
began to tell upon its construction and in 12 years it became 
a patch-work of repairs showing stretches of at least five 
kinds of paving material. With the growing popularity of 
the beaches after the Jacksonville-St. Johns River bridge was 
built the road became entirely inadequate. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 239 


In May, 19238, a county bond issue of $2,550,000 was 
authorized for building highways, including the construction 
of a first-class concrete highway from South Jacksonville to 
the beach, a distance of 15.8 miles. After considerable dis- 
cussion it was decided to construct two one-way roads, each 
16 feet wide, and the contract therefor was awarded to C. F. 
Lytle in January, 1924, for $786,600. The highway is now 
in course of construction, being (Dec. 31, 1924,) about two- 
thirds completed. When completed it will be a magnificent 
boulevard, following the route of the old road, except that 
some of the curves have been flattened out. Provision has 
been made for lighting Atlantic Boulevard all the way to 
the beach, and it is said that it will be one of the longest 
“white ways” in the world. From the fact that Atlantic 
Boulevard was the parent of the highways in this section and 
has held the interest of Jacksonville for so many years as 
the connecting link to its playground, its history may well 
be perpetuated. 


1910 


During the summer of 1910, burglary upon burglary was 
reported from every section of the city, principally from the 
residential districts. The police made many captures, but 
the burglaries continued, all chargeable to the work of a 
fictitious character called “Barefoot Bill”. People got out 
their old shotguns, polished up rifles, put their pistols in 
shape, and for two or three months nearly every dwelling 
was a modified arsenal. The burglaries ceased in August, 
but it was never known whether the real Barefoot Bill was 
ever put behind the bars. 


October 28: Cashen’s mill in East Jacksonville destroyed 
by fire. 


November 8: The vote on the adoption of a State-wide 
prohibition amendment resulted in Duval County: For 1,742; 
against 5,003. In Jacksonville the vote was: For 1,424; 
against 4,232. 


1911 


January 11: Fire gutted the warehouse of the Hubbard 
Hardware Company in rear of the retail store on south side 


240 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1911 
of Bay Street between Main and Laura; property loss 
$40,000. 


January 22: Large warehouse fire in the wholesale sec- 
tion east of Broad Street viaduct; property loss estimated 
at $60,000. W. B. Johnson Grocery Company, E. Bean & 
Company, and Flynn-Harris-Bullard Company were the firms 
that suffered. 


March 31: Automobile races at Atlantic Beach. Louis 
Disbrow driving his Pope-Hartford “Hummer” broke four 
world’s records for speed and won a cash prize of $1,000. 
His average for 300 miles was 77.08 miles an hour. 


April 1: Derby at Moncrief race track; final day of the 
annual meet and the last of professional horse-racing at 
Jacksonville. 


Effect of the Races 


There were three meets held here—the first in the spring 
of 1909, and the others in the winter and spring months of 
1909-10 and 1910-11. The effect of the races on Jacksonville 
and its people was nowise good. The increase in crime as 
an attendant feature and the methods pursued by the crim- 
inals told plainly that the most dangerous criminal element 
of the country was attracted here. ‘“Stool-pigeons” hovered 
around the local sports and professional gamblers fleeced 
them. “Playing the ponies” was a temptation that many 
residents, including women, could not resist—and they lost, 
numbers of them all they possessed. The moral and financial 
wreckage in the wake of the races was plainly evident. The 
races were held at a season when the hotels customarily were 
filled anyway and the high-class restaurants usually had all 
they could do. It was only a substitution of one class of vis- 
itors for another, to the detriment of Jacksonville. The 
money that passed from local hands to the bookmakers was 
bundled up and shipped by express out of Jacksonville. The 
local banks handled little of it. Banking records of the time 
indicate nothing in this respect; while the business of the 
banks showed a substantial increase over former years, it 
was not due to the races, but to the legitimate money being 
used in pushing Jacksonville’s skyline upward. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 241 


1911 


The Florida Legislature in 1911 passed anti-racing laws 
prohibiting professional horse-racing in this State. 


April 19: Destructive sawmill fire in the western part of 
the city; Doscher-Gardner and Jacksonville Lumber com- 
panies involved. Property loss in the neighborhood of 
$70,000. 


October 26: Arrival of the Glidden automobile tourists 
from New York. The tour started from New York City 
October 14, and its progress southward was followed with 
wide publicity. Upon its arrival in Jacksonville a holiday 
was declared and a celebration took place. The tour was 
under the auspices of A. A. A.; it was a good-roads path- 
finding affair as well as an advertising proposition. The 
Maxwell team won the prize, being the only team to finish the 
run from New York with a perfect score. Some well-known 
people joined the tour, among them the governor of Georgia. 


December 11: Fire destroyed the stables at Moncrief 
race track. 


1912 


January 9: Canning factory of C. B. Gay Company de- 
stroyed by fire; property loss about $20,000. 


January 25: Warehouse and foundry of McMillan Broth- 
ers and warehouse of South Atlantic Blow Pipe Company 
on East Bay Street burned. 


January to March: Smallpox scare. On January 30th, 
the local Board of Health issued an order for general vacci- 
nation as a means of preventing a spread of the disease and 
the development of a serious epidemic. It was estimated 
that 30,000 persons in the city and vicinity were vaccinated. 
To March 15th, 149 cases had been reported but no deaths. 
The danger was considered at an end about the middle of 
March. 


April 1: Serious fire on W. Bay Street near Main; R. J. 
Riles, and the Great A. & P. Tea store suffered heavy losses, 
and water and smoke damaged Furchgott’s men’s store con- 
siderably. 


242 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1912 


April 18: Woodrow Wilson, candidate for President, 
spoke to an immense audience that packed Duval theatre 
and overflowed far into the street. 


Street Car Strike 


October 28-November 19: Motormen and conductors of 
the Jacksonville Traction Company suddenly walked out on 
strike October 28th, completely tying up the street car 
system of Jacksonville. A feeble attempt was made to 
operate the cars during the day by the office force of the 
traction company, and likewise on the 29th. On the 30th 
strike-breakers were imported, whereupon rioting and vio- 
lence began. Some of the strike-breakers were severely 
beaten and the situation became so serious that the local 
authorities were unable to cope with it. A request for mili- 
tary protection was sent to the governor and on the night 
of the 30th four military companies were mobilized. By the 
evening of November Ist, two regiments of infantry, a com- 
pany of coast artillery, and a cavalry troop, 21 companies in 
all, practically the entire military force of the State, were 
on riot duty in Jacksonville. Serious rioting continued, 
although the cars were operated under military escort. This 
situation prevailed for a week or more. Everywhere, not 
only in the outlying sections, but in the center of the city 
also, acts of violence were committed, the lives of passengers 
on the cars endangered by missile-throwing and in several 
instances by shooting into tne cars. Attempts were made 
to tear up the car tracks. On November llth the general 
trades issued a call for a sympathetic strike in Jacksonville, 
giving five days’ notice, unless the business men of the city 
forced the traction company to accede to the demands of the 
strikers, their demands being that it recognize the recently 
formed carmen’s union. This the traction company refused 
to do. By this time, however, the striking employees were 
tiring of the strike and public sentiment had become pretty 
well crystallized against it. Conditions had improved de- 
cidedly by the 12th, and the last of the troops left for their 
homes. Striking employees were beginning to apply for 
reinstatement and the traction company took them back 
without prejudice. The strike was officially declared off by 
the carmen on November 19th. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 243 


This was the most serious labor disturbance in Jackson- 
ville’s history. It was said that many of the older employees 
morally opposed the strike and condemned the violence. 


1913 


January: Brentwood subdivision in North Jacksonville 
put on the market by C. W. Bartleson, B. F. Hampton and 
associates; and Neptune subdivision at the beach by the 
Atlantic Seashore Company, G. A. Carroll, president. Mur- 
ray Hill Heights brought prominently forward by the Jack- 
sonville Development Company. Pronounced activity in all 
outlying subdivisions around Jacksonville and at the ocean- 
side. 


January 20: Florida Cotton Oil Company suffered a fire 
loss amounting to $45,000. 


March 27: Halsema’s planing mill in East Springfield 
destroyed by fire; loss $45,000. 


April 6: Life-saving Station No. 1 established at Pablo 
Beach by the U.S. Life-saving Corps. Service comprised 
19 volunteers equipped with the surf boat “Patrol” and life- 
lines. Moving pictures were taken of the ceremonies. 


April 22: St. Johns River Terminal Company’s pier at 
the foot of Washington Street burned; property loss $30,000. 
This fire brought a recommendation by Chief Haney for a 
fire-boat. 


June 13: A $20,000 fire in the Astor Building, corner 
Hogan and West Bay Streets. 


June: A city planning commission was advocated by 
the Jacksonville Real Estate Exchange. 


July 13: First trip of the ferryboat “Arlington” inaugu- 
rating the ferry service between East Jacksonville and Ar- 
lington. 


July 14: A $15,000 fire in the Holmes building on the 
west side of South Main Street. 


July 17: South Jacksonville voted a bond issue of $65,000 
for improvements. Qualified voters at this time 96; vote for 
bonds: For, 62; Against, 14. 


244 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1913 
August 1: Juvenile court held its first session. 


August: Arden subdivision put on the market by Raley- 
Hamby Company. Advertising slogan, “In the Forest of 


Arden’’. 
1914 


January 17: Fire swept the Atlantic Coast Line export 
docks in Fairfield; loss $100,000. 


April: Last of the tall buildings comprising Jackson- 
ville’s present (1924) skyline was completed. 


Story of Jacksonville’s Skyline 


The wonderful way that Jacksonville weathered the 
frenzied financial panic of 1907 had much to do with the 
most remarkable building period in the city’s history, by 
attracting the attention of capital on a large scale. Prior 
to the panic the scars and vacant places in the down-town 
section had largely disappeared; but the business blocks 
were mostly of the three and four-story type, with several 
five-story, and two six-story buildings looking down upon 
them, while the seven-story Consolidated building on East 
Bay Street loomed above them all. The tower of the U. S. 
Government building at Hogan and Forsyth kept watch 
over the city towering far above everything else. 

There had been a rumor before the panic of a taller build- 
ing than seven stories to be constructed, but it was generally 
considered “‘street talk”, and it was not until June, 1908, that 
a skyscraper for Jacksonville became an assured fact when 
ground was broken for it on the north side of Forsyth Street 
between Main and Laura. And so the ten-story Bisbee build- 
ing was the pioneer skyscraper here. As originally designed 
it was only 26 feet in width; but just as it was being com- 
pleted and almost ready for occupancy the owner suddenly 
decided to double the width, tore down the east wall and 
increased the width of the building to 5214 feet. 

In the meantime two other ten-story buildings were rush- 
ing toward completion, for following closely the announce- 
ment of the Bisbee building ground was broken in August, 
1908, for the Atlantic National Bank building immediately 
east of the U. S. Government building, and soon after that 





THE STORY OF J: 





Fire-swept Jacksonville in May, 1901. 








Jacksonville’s Skyline in 1908. 





The Skyline in 1914-1924, 


{LLE’S SKYLINE 





Copyrighted—Published by permission 


Panorama view from tower of U. S. Govt. Bldg. 


seaseaeeem tt & 
RESET PA ES 





View from same point as above. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 245 


for another building advertised at the time as the Commer- 
cial Bank building, but which developed into the Seminole 
hotel at the southeast corner of Hogan and Forsyth. The 
Atlantic National Bank building was completed in October, 
1909, and the Seminole hotel on January 1, 1910. Of the 
three skyscrapers, the Atlantic National Bank building was 
the tallest, owing to the greater height of its ceilings; still 
the tower of the Government building close by looked down 
upon it. But the Government building by this time had 
surrendered its guardianship over the city, for on September 
18, 1909, the solid copper cross washed in pure gold was 
permanently placed on the steeple of the Catholic church 
17814 feet above the sidewalk and ten feet higher than the 
pinnacle of the Government building. 

Jacksonville now paused in tall construction to catch its © 
breath. In the spring of 1911, an office famine set in and to 
meet it the Florida Life Insurance Company broke ground 
in July, 1911, on the east side of Laura Street between For- 
syth and Adams for the narrow eleven-story building that 
stands there today, now known as the Florida National Bank 
building. It was completed in August, 1912, and for a short 
time held the honor of being the tallest office building in 
Florida. 

Down in Arcadia resided a capitalist and while Jackson- 
ville was resting after its first spurt skyward, he came here 
to look the situation over. The courtesies accorded him by 
the business men on every side pleased him; he was im- 
pressed with the city and the splendid progress it had made, 
and straightway he made up his mind to convert his hold- 
ings and invest them here. And he did; he gave the city a 
building that pushed the skyline upward to a height unbe- 
lievable for Jacksonville. The beautiful building at the 
southwest corner of Forsyth and Laura Streets was what he 
erected. Work on the foundation for the Heard building 
began in October, 1911. Reinforced concrete piles, 650 of 
them, were sent down by a water jet to solid rock. The 
foundation work was slow and tedious and required four 
months of day and night labor to complete. Work on the 
superstructure commenced in February, 1912, and on June 
21st the American flag was tied to the first column of the 
last tier of uprights and raised with a hurrah—a little cere- 
mony customary with steel workers. In April, 1918, the 
Heard building was completed and occupied. It is 105x81 


246 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


feet ground dimensions, built of steel, tile and brick, fifteen 
stories and basement. In height, balance, and beauty of 
architecture it continues unsurpassed in Florida; for years 
it was the central figure for every advertisement of Jack- 
sonville. 

The Mason hotel at the northwest corner of Bay and 
Julia Streets, the dominating skyscraper in the western part 
of the business section, occupies the site of the old Acme 
hotel, which was torn down to make way for its modern 
successor of twelve stories. The Mason was completed and 
thrown open to the public December 31, 1913. 

The last of the tall buildings contributing to the skyline 
of Jacksonville as we see it today, the Rhodes-Futch-Collins 
eleven-story building on the west side of Main Street between 
Monroe and Duval, was completed in April, 1914. 

So Jacksonville’s skyscraper skyline was produced within 
a period of about five years. But construction here during 
this time was far from being confined to the tall buildings. 
The enormous St. James building occupying the entire block 
north of Hemming Park, 315x210 feet, was completed in 
October, 1912, and the Union Terminal building on East 
Union Street in June, 1918. A number of five, six and 
seven-story buildings were erected also, but their prominence 
was hid by the taller construction—Jacksonville had pointed 
its guns high and was shooting for elevation in the business 
section. 


*Perhaps the highest point of construction in Florida at 
present is the Weather Bureau arrow on top of the Heard 
building, 248 feet above the sidewalk. The lift-span of the 
Jacksonville-St. Johns River bridge reaches a height of 228 
feet above the water. 


The remarkable building prosperity was apparent every- 
where in the suburbs by the erection of hundreds of homes. 
This led to new subdivisions in all directions, many legiti- 
mate, some too far in advance of necessity, and a few were 
“wildcat”. By the close of 1913 there had been issued since 
the fire of 1901 permits for buildings within the city limits 
with a total valuation of $88,872,000. Evidences of over- 
construction began to appear in the spring of 1914, and Jack- 
sonville did the sensible thing to do, she slowed down in her 
building activities. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 247 


1914 
April 9: Fire, originating in the Pablo hotel at Pablo 
Beach, destroyed the hotel and also eleven houses in the 
heart of the town. 


May 6-8: Twenty-fourth annual Confederate reunion 
held in Jacksonville. The veterans were splendidly taken 
care of and there was only one death among them while here. 
It was estimated that sixty thousand visitors, including 
veterans, were in the city. 


June 1: The so-called restricted or “red-light” district 
in LaVilla was closed by the mayor supported by the city 
council. 

July 1: John B. Gordon Camp, U. C. V., No. 1794, organ- 
ized. M. R. Tutt, commander; F. M. Ironmonger, first lieu- 
tenant; P. M. Jamison, chaplain; W. H. Lucas, adjutant. 


August 26: Home Telephone Company started service. 


September 15: Pablo Beach voted a bond issue of $35,- 
000 for sewerage and electric lights. The vote was: 68 for; 
10 against. 


November 14: Jacksonville-Orange Park highway opened 
with the completion of that part from the county line along 
the river in front of Orange Park. This highway was built 
at intervals: First to the Jacksonville city limits at Donald 
Street; then to Ortega; and to the Duval County line in 1912. 


1915 


January 3: Serious fire in the six-story Dyal-Upchurch 
building at the southeast corner of Bay and Main Streets. 
The roof was burned off and the upper stories gutted. The 
total property loss from fire, water and smoke was in the 
neighborhood of $60,000. 


January 15: The American Trust Company was held up 
at 2 p. m. by bank robbers. They forced the president, F. 
W. Hoyt, and the office force into the vault and locked them 
in, and made their get-away with $1,500. One of the bank 
officials returning from lunch a short time afterward re- 
leased the prisoners from the vault. 


March 11: A $25,000 fire in the Bowden building at the 
southwest corner of Bay and Broad Streets. 


248 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1915 
April 9: Ortega sawmill and electric light plant burned; 
loss $25,000. 


May 3: Union Lumber Company plant on the south side 
of the river below Jacksonville burned with a loss of $25,000. 


May 4: Fire on the south side of Bay Street between 
Cedar and Clay gutted a brick building occupied by Tyler 
Grocery Co., Jacksonville Supply & Grocery Co., Thos. 
Nooney & Sons, and Atlantic & Gulf Grocery Co.. The prop- 
erty loss was $40,000. 


July 19: Arcade moving-picture theater opened. 


October 1: Charles E. Davis package law prohibiting the 
sale of liquors in less than half-pint packages went into 
effect. 


October 1: Fire, caused by the explosion of a gasoline 
tank, destroyed the plant of the Palmetto Machinery and 
Boat Works on the pier at the foot of Ocean Street. 


October 22: Warehouse of H. L. Sprinkle & Co., on the 
south side of Bay Street near Ocean, was destroyed by fire; 
loss $35,000. 


October 26: In the presence of a throng of people the 
memorial to the women of the Confederacy in Dignan Park 
(now Confederate Park) was unveiled by Miss Jessie Par- 
tridge. The memorial is constructed of granite and bronze; 
it is 47 feet in height and cost $25,000, of which one-half was 
given by the State and the remainder by popular subscrip- 
tion. The figure on top represents a woman clasping a half- 
furled Confederate flag ; and that beneath the canopy another 
teaching the children of the South the true story of the war. 
“Florida’s Tribute to the Women of the Confederacy” is a 
masterpiece of artistic beauty and Southern sentiment. It 
is generally considered one of the most beautiful memorials 
in the South. | 


October 27: City storeroom, building and contents, Pearl 
and Fifteenth Streets, destroyed by fire; loss $20,000. 


October 31: Ten dwellings burned in a sweeping fire at 
Pablo Beach. : 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA = 249 


October: National rifle matches held at State Camp, 
Black Point. 


December 9: Church of the Good Shepherd (Episcopal), 
Oak and Gillmore Streets in Riverside, destroyed by fire. 


1916 


January 28: Attempt to burn the union depot apparently 
in an effort to cover up a safe robbery in the baggage room; 
many trunks were damaged or destroyed. The fire loss was 
$34,000. 


February 17: Guests of the Windsor hotel heard the 
roar of the Pacific ocean over the telephone, marking the 
inauguration of long distance telephone service to San Fran- 
cisco. 


February 19: The old Atlantic hotel on the hill back of 
the south jetty was destroyed by fire. This hotel was built 
in 1874 by Capt. W. A. Jameison and in the early years was 
a popular seaside resort for the people of northern Florida. 
It was a frame building of 25 rooms. 


April 14: Lumber plants of Rentz Lumber Co., and the 
Gress Manufacturing Co., on McGirts Creek were burned: 
loss about $75,000. 


May 7: Train shed and docks of the Florida East Coast 
Railway Co., in South Jacksonville were burned; loss $65,000. 


June 8: Fire in the Stuart-Bernstein clothing store on 
the south side of Bay Street between Main and Laura dam- 
aged stock to the amount of $37,000. 


June 17: Lumber shed and four million feet of lumber 


were burned at Carpenter & O’Brien’s mill at Eastport; loss 
about $70,000. 

June 24: Second Florida Infantry mobilized at State 
Camp (Black Point). The regiment remained in camp here 


until October 2d, when it entrained for Texas frontier serv- 
ice. It returned to Florida from this service March 15, 1917. 


July 5: Murray Hill elected its first town officials; Hugh 
Lauder elected mayor. 


August 15: A $30,000 fire on the south side of Bay 
Street between Cedar and Clay, in a brick block occupied by 


250 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1916 


Tyler Grocery Co., Nooney & Co., Farmers’ Produce Co., and 
United Produce Co. 


September 22: Fire destroyed the plant of the Florida 
Cotton Oil Co., on the western edge of the city ; loss $85,000. 


October 11-25: National rifle tournament at State Camp 
(Black Point). 


December 1: Planing mill of the Gress Manufacturing 
Co., on McGirts Creek opposite Ortega, burned with a loss 
exceeding $50,000. 


December 5-9: Duval County fair. 


Business Depression, 1914-16 


The general business conditions just before the European 
war started in August, 1914, were such that the supply and 
demand of commodities contributing to the means of living 
were close together. The margin of profit in most lines was 
small and wages were likewise low, but in relation to both 
the purchasing power of a dollar was one hundred cents. 
This was the situation when Jacksonville in the spring of 
1914, finding itself fully rebuilt, began to slow down in con- 
struction which resulted in considerable labor in the building 
trades being released and becoming idle. Then came the 
bursting of the bubble of paper speculation that had devel- 
oped and attached itself to the legitimate activity of the 
rebuilding era. So there was already complaint of “hard 
times” in some quarters here before the World war broke 
out, but it was of a nature to gradually adjust itself, had it 
not been for the war. 

The South with its large cotton crop on hand was imme- 
diately affected by the war; within a month firms and indi- 
viduals everywhere were appealed to to “buy a bale of cotton 
and help the farmer out”, and as a further aid it was recom- 
mended that all shipments so far as possible be made in 
cotton sacks. Florida was doubly affected, because her chief 
export business—naval stores, fertilizers, and to a certain 
extent lumber—practically ceased, and as Jacksonville was 
the principal export point for these the effect here was imme- 
diate and serious, for the curbing of these industries threw 
many people out of work. The question of providing for the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 251 


city’s unemployed became a vital one. Both City and County 
were doing work under bond issues, which gave employment 
to a fraction of the unskilled labor; and in the winter 1914-15 
the Real Estate exchange started a “Build Now” movement 
to help the idle in the building trades. Several other plans 
were devised for the same purpose; all of them were helpful, 
but the situation was too broad in scope to be materially 
relieved by sporadic local efforts. 

The year 1915 was a hard one for everybody—business 
man, property owner, and wage-earner. Money was tight; 
those that had it did not turn it loose, and those that did 
not have it lived largely on credit. This was a condition that 
drove many firms out of business. Two local banking insti- 
tutions closed their doors. Taxes and interest on mortgages 
remained unpaid—on July 1st less than 50% of the city 
budget for the preceding year had been collected. It was 
the same with the county, or worse, for county affairs were 
in such a state at the end of the year that it was necessary 
to float a bond issue of $299,000 to meet outstanding indebt- 
edness. It was even seriously suggested that a receiver be 
appointed for Duval County. During the summer and fall of 
that year it was estimated by rental agents that one-third 
of the stores, one-half of the dwelling houses, and 60% of 
the office space in Jacksonville were vacant, although rents 
had been greatly reduced. In some cases owners offered 
their property practically without rent to desirable tenants 
to prevent deterioration. The North at this time was enjoy- 
ing an era of extravagant prosperity, having converted its 
factories, mills and industries to war-time production; large 
salaries and high wages were offered both skilled and unskilled 
labor and the employed as well as the unemployed, farm 
labor and city labor, were drawn out of the South by this 
magnet. In a way it helped the unemployment situation 
here, and contributed to the vacancies referred to above. 
All of this was not purely a local condition, however; it was 
the general condition of most of the South, through which 
Jacksonville fought its way. 

While it cannot be said that local business conditions 
showed a marked improvement during the winter 1915-16, 
still they were certainly no worse than they had been and 
the tendency was better. Several moving picture studios 
had located in Jacksonville and others were making inquiries 


252 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


with a view to moving here; this was pointed to as a favor- 
able sign for an upward trend of business. 
*Some years later the moving picture industry did reach 
considerable proportions in Jacksonville and plans were drawn 
for quite an art city near Camp Johnston; but public sentiment 
turned against the business and those that were here picked 
up and moved away. 


The business of the port increased considerably, especially 
as an oil terminal. Nevertheless properties continued vacant 
and taxes were a burden. Labor recruiting agents persisted 
in their activities to drain the South of its remaining labor 
content. 

In the fall of 1916 the increasing cost of living became 
the topic of public discussion in Jacksonville. Mass-meetings 
were held to devise means for combatting it and general boy- 
cotts were suggested. The charge against merchants of 
profiteering was often heard, but in most cases the charge 
was unjust, for their troubles were as great as others and 
their struggles just as hard. The real causes of the burden 
were two-fold. By this time the food stocks of Europe had 
become exhausted as a result of the war and America, hardly 
raising enough to supply its own needs, was called upon to 
feed the Allies, who offered high prices for foodstuffs. This, 
of course, influenced prices at home, white flour being the 
principal item affected. Decreased incomes in the South 
magnified the rise in prices beyond the actual increase and 
the merchant got the blame. 


*The decade beginning in 1914 furnishes a valuable record 
for the study of business extremes, and indicates that the 
safest and happiest position of the business pendulum is 
neither at the point of lowest margin of profit nor at that of 
big profits and high wages, but swings in a decidedly smaller 
are between the two. 


1917 


February 12: University club formally organized: Cecil 
Willcox, president; M. H. Long and Fons A. Hathaway, vice- 
presidents; H. Ulmer, secretary; F. C. Reese, treasurer. 


February 18: Plant of the Gibbs Gas Engine Co., on the 
South Jacksonville waterfront, was burned with a loss of 
$30,000. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 253. 


1917 
February 28: Duval County Federation of Women’s 
Clubs was organized. 


April 8: Fire of unknown origin destroyed Clyde Line 
pier No. 1, between Market and Liberty Streets; total loss 
$189,000. 


April 19: Memorial to Governor N. B. Broward was 
unveiled in Waterworks park. 


April 28: Steamer “Rosalie Mahoney”, loading cross-ties 
at Eppinger-Russell docks in Fairfield, was destroyed by fire. 


May 14: Destructive fire in Mayport; fourteen buildings, 
including two hotels and the post office, were burned. 


July 6: Fire at the mill of the Gress Manufacturing Com- 
pany on McGirts Creek; damage $25,000. 


August 30: Seventy clerks in the offices of the Seaboard 
Air Line Railway struck for a 20% raise in pay. They were 
out until September 18, agreeing to submit the question to a 
commission. 


September 26: Fire destroyed the plant of the Metal 
Products Company in northeast Springfield. 


October 30: Fertilizer plant of E. O. Painter Co., in 
South Jacksonville, was damaged by fire to the extent of 
$25,000. 


December 12: One hundred girl operators of Southern 


‘Beil Telephone Co. struck; they remained out until the 28th 


and returned at their original status. 


254 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


JACKSONVILLE AND THE WORLD WAR 


“The United States severed diplomatic relations with 
Germany February 3, 1917. The Senate passed war resolu- 
tions 82 to 6 April 4th, and the House 378 to 50 April 6th; the 
President signed the resolutions April 6, 1917. The war ended 
with the armistice of November 11, 1918. 


The first indication in Jacksonville of the impending 
crisis was on March 20, 1917, when the port commissioners 
placed the German steamship Freda Leonardt under surveil- 
lance for an alleged statement by her crew that in the event 
of war they would blow up the municipal electric light plant 
here. The vessel was moved upstream and anchored off 
Commodore’s Point. The nation even now was quietly pre- 
paring for war. On March 27 the local battalion of Naval 
Militia was ordered to recruit to war strength, and the local 
Red Cross, which had been preparing for a week or more, 
reported that it was ready. 


In the week preceding the declaration of war general 
mass-meetings of the citizens were held and public safety 
committees were organized; the city council joined in by 
passing a public safety act appropriating $2,000 for immedi- 
ate use and $3,000 more if needed. The Government had 
already opened a recruiting station here and had begun to 
list local industries convertible for war purposes. April 5, 
the Jacksonville Real Estate Exchange passed a resolution 
requesting the Government to designate Jacksonville as a 
mobilization point for troops in the event of war. So the 
public mind was well prepared to receive the news that war 
had been declared, and when it came there was a spontaneous 
outburst of patriotic demonstration amidst a then unique, 
but very inspiring feature—the whir of aeroplanes over and 
around the city, from Earl Dodge’s aviation training camp 
at Black Point. The Freda Leonardt was immediately seized 
by the Government and her officers and crew removed (they 
were later sent to New Orleans). The local battalion of 
Naval Militia was called to the colors and mobilized at once. 
Recruiting for military service was active. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 255 


War Chronology 
1917 


April 7: Preparations under way for safeguarding mu- 
nicipal plants. Thé Germans of this vicinity were notified 
that they would not be molested as long as they obeyed the 
laws. 


April 8: Local battalion of Florida Naval Militia, 18 
officers and 824 men under command of Louie W. Strum, 
entrained for Charleston, S. C., where they arrived late that 
night. This battalion was the first to arrive at that con- 
centration point. 


“The battalion was held together at Charleston for a — 
short time and then abolished as a unit, its officers and men 
receiving specific assignments. 


April 18: The local infantry battalion was mobilized at 
the Duval County armory. In a few days it was sent to 
State Camp at Black Point, where it formed the nucleus for 
the formation of a Florida regiment. These men were soon 
assigned to duty guarding public properties in this section 
and performed this duty for two months. 


June 12: The first Jacksonville man, and so far as known 
the first Florida man in uniform, gave his life to his State 
and country—Private Arthur R. Cartmel, Jr., of Company 
A (Jacksonville Light Infantry), First Separate Battalion, 
N. G. F. He was killed by a passing train while on guard 
duty at the railroad trestle over Nassau River near Fer- 


nandina. 


August 5: Two units of the newly organized First Infan- 
try, N. G. F.—Machine Gun Company and Sanitary detach- 
ment—were mobilized at the Duval County armory and sent 
to State Camp at Black Point to join the balance of the 
regiment. 


September 3: Company D (Metropolitan Grays) and the 
Field Hospital unit, First Regiment, N. G. F., entrained for 
Camp Wheeler at Macon. These were the first local troops 
off for the war. Company D, 140 men, was under the com- 
mand of Capt. George R. Seavy; First Lieut. Otis E. Barnes; 
Second Lieut. John C. Byrne, Jr. The Field Hospital unit 


256 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1917 


was commanded by Maj. L. A. Green; Capt. William J. Buck; 
Lieutenants Daniel Campbell and John Hawkins. 


*The Field Hospital unit under the command of Maj. R. C. 
Turck saw service along the Mexican border in 1916-17. It 
was the only local unit that went there. 


September 14: A great throng of people was at the union 
depot to say good-bye to the First Florida Infantry entrain- 
ing for Camp Wheeler at Macon. The companies were: 4A 
(Jacksonville); B (Tallahassee); C (Lake City); E (Live 
Oak); F (Jacksonville); G (Marianna); H (Chipley); I 
(Pensacola) ; K (Milton); L (Apalachicola); M (Millville) ; 
Headquarters (Jacksonville) ; Machine Gun (Jacksonville) ; 
Sanitary (Jacksonville). The local companies were com- 
manded as follows: 


A (Jacksonville Light Infantry), A. Wright Ellis, cap- 
tain; R. R. Milam, first lieut.; W. S. Blackmer, second lieut. 

F (Jacksonville Rifles), George J. Garcia, captain; S. B. 
Kitchen, first lieut.; Benjamin F. Stone, second lieut. 

Headquarters Company, Harry F.. Conley, captain. 

Machine Gun Company, W. D. Vinzant, Jr., captain; W. 
A. Gatlin, first lieut.; B. A. Heidt, second lieut. 

Sanitary, James A. Livingston, major-surgeon. 


The regiment was commanded by Col. 8. C. Harrison, Jr., 
and the first battalion (comprising the Jacksonville com- 
panies) by Maj. Henry L. Covington, Jr. 

*We must here leave the First Florida Infantry; it was 
disbanded at Camp Wheeler and its officers and men were as- 
signed to other regiments. Most of them were sent overseas. 


September: Quotas called to the colors under the draft 
of June 5, 1917, began leaving daily for Camp Jackson at 
Columbia. 


December 1: Secretary of War Newton D. Baker visited 
Jacksonville and was given a rousing reception. 


1918 
January 19: United States soldiers from Camp Johnston 
took up the duties of guarding public utilities. 
April 6: Mammoth parade commemorating entrance of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 257 


1918 
the United States into the war. In it were companies of sol- 
diers from Camp Johnston, home guards, workers in the 
shipyards, city departments, civic and patriotic organiza- 
tions of every character, forming a line estimated to be five 
miles in length. 


April 11: Secretary of the Treasury William G. McAdoo 
visited Jacksonville; marched on foot in a parade held in 
connection with the third Liberty Loan. 


April: City of Jacksonville invested $120,000 in Liberty 
bonds and $1,000 in war-savings stamps—bond money held 
inactive by request of the Government not to carry on 
municipal improvements. Jacksonville was the first city in 
the United States to invest as a corporation in Liberty bonds. 


April 26: An ordinance of the city council went into 
effect requiring all traffic to stop for one minute upon the 
sounding of “Big Jim”, the waterworks whistle, at 6 p. m., 
and all persons to stand with bared heads for the same length 
of time, in honor of the American flag. 


November 11: From the first blast of “Big Jim” (the 
waterworks whistle) at 3 a. m. of the 11th, announcing the 
signing of the armistice, until early morning of the 12th, 
Jacksonville reveled in continuous celebration. Parades with- 
out number formed and marched, merged with other proces- 
sions and disbanded from exhaustion, only to rest and form 
again. Every noise-making instrument in the city worked 
over-time. Whistles of the mills, the river craft, Big Jim, 
and the South Jacksonville siren rent the air at irregular 
intervals; automobiles tore through the city streets each 
dragging from one to six garbage cans, dish pans, tin buckets 
—anything to heighten the clatter. The 11th was declared 
a holiday by the city, county, and every business firm in the 
locality. Throughout the day enthusiastic crowds thronged 
the streets. Soldiers from Camp Johnston were everywhere, 
as a holiday had also been declared by the commander of the 
camp. A great organized patriotic parade was held on the 
12th. Companies from Camp Johnston, the Duval County 
home guards, civic organizations, shipyard workers, any body 
of people that could be assembled, joinedin. There may have 
been larger demonstrations in the centers of greater popula- 


258 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 

tion than Jacksonville, but for all-round enthusiasm the cele- 
bration here could not have been exceeded and the residents 
of Jacksonville at the time will never forget it. 


Duval County’s Honor Roll 
(White) 


This list comprises the names of those in the military, naval, or 
marine service of the United States or the Allies in the World war 
who were killed or died in the service or as a direct result of such 
service, including those engaged in war work of a self-sacrificing na- 
ture, claiming residence in Duval County or residing here at the time 


of enlistment. 


Arnold, Albert C. 
Assidy, Mostafa 
Baker, Wm. Pratt 
Barkley, David 
Barrett, John W. 
Bartholf, Harry G. 
Bell, James H. 
Bleight, John C. 
Blevins, Charles E. 
Brittain, James 
Brock, Bernard G. 
Brown, Joseph C. 
Bryan, David S. 
Bussey, Allen G. 
Butler, Arthur 
Caine, John S. 
Cameron, Bonar C. 
Caldwell, Clinton C. 
Calhoun, James F. 


Cartmel, Arthur R., Jr. 


Crow, Charles C. 


DeSaussure, Edward C. 


Dobbs, Clarence H. 
Dorr, Nathan D. 
Duncan, Charles B. 
Duncan, Claude F. 
Eldridge, Chester O. 
Ellis, Lester 
Fonseca, Maurice 
Foote, George B. 
Gale, (Miss) Bessie 
Giles, Peter 


Girardeau, Hamlin T. 
Glassbrenner, Fred L. 


Goodwin, Dorsett G. 
Grier, Tom Watson 


Hall, John 
Hamm, Arthur E. 


Henry, Lanson E., Jr. 


Hernandez, Theo. H. 
Hill, Raynor M. 
Hindelly, John S. 
Jabbour, James B. 
Johnson, Wm. H. 
Jones, Eugene Lee 
Kennedy, Roy C. 
Knight, Carl W. 
Knight, Percy 
Langford, Neal 
Lee, Benjamin II 
Lewter, Robert D. 
Lloyd, Lee Roy 
Lockey, Addinell H. 
Losco, Marion J. 


Lumsden, William M. 


McClure, Fred L. 
McClure, William B. 
McCormick, James P. 


Martenson, Martin P. 


Mitchell, Albee L. 
Monteith, Walter 
Moore, Lester L. 
Moore, Wilbur E. 
Mott, T. Sinclair 
Murchison, B. C. 
Murdock, Mear] L. 
Narin, Julian 
Nettles, William 
Newell, Wm. Foster 
Norris, Joseph 
Parrish, Edward W. 
Parsons, Jos. Burke 


Pearce, Louis A. 
Perkins, Clarence E. 
Perry, Virgil 


Pierce, Henry K. 


Pinnell, Wesley P. 
Pons, Donald O. 
Pope, Geo. Erskine 
Post, Charles 
Powell, James R. 
Quinn, Thomas H. 
Ramsaur, Stewart D. 
Richards, Ralph E. 
Rodriquez, Frank T. 
Safay, Fred 

Silcox, George E. 
Simpson, Franklin D. 
Singleton, Samuel 
Small, Benjamin 
Smith, Thomas B. 
Spratt, William P. 
Stanton, John W. 
Stockton, Charles A. 
Stockton, Wm. M., Jr. 
Stone, Benjamin F. 
Stone, Frederick 
Stribling, Roy A. 
Thompson, Clifford H. 
Tyson, Clement M. 
Vansickle, Daniel H. 
Walker, Sidney J. 
Webster, Elmer 
White, Robert L. 
Whitlock, Fred 
Wilcox, Harvey A. 
Williams, Ernest C. 
Witt, Levy O. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 259 
Colored Honor Roll 


Will Armstrong, Atlas Bradshaw, Doll Brown, General Brown, 
Nathan Brown, T. A. Butler, G. W. Calhoun, T. D. Clark, Frank Connor, 
Cleveland Cook, Will Cross, Walter Dixon, Henry Dozier, Claude Echols, 
Campbell Fairly, Rufus Grant, Marvin Gray, A. A. Hart, Richard Hicks, 
Adolphus Hightower, James Hooks, Sam Howard, Dave Jackson, Mat- 
thew Jenkins, Johnnie Jones, James Kelly, Wm. Martin, Ed Matthews, 
Albert May, Albert Miller, W. O. Norton, E. A. Nellicliff, Wm. Norton, 
Tom Pierce, Arthur Pruden, W. A. Robinson, Geo. Sampson, J. H. 
Savelle, C. Shell, Herbert Small, G. W. Starke, I. P. Starling, Alex 
Thomas, Henry Thomas, Will Warren, J. W. Williams, Wm. Woods, 
Mose Wright, W. B. Young. 


Draft Registrations—Jacksonville and Duval County 
Cirrespective of color) 


City County Total 








Puree 1911, AVES SISO, oe ene sl eee eas ses 9,428 Pigg LE paalios Wepa  g 
June 5, 1918, and Aug. 24, 1918, age 21...... 753 259 1,012 
Sept. 12, 1918, ages 18-21 and 32-45......... 14,474 4,297 18,771 
24,655 7,275 31,930 

Accepted at camp by certification from local boards............ 3,730 
Volunteered without certification, all branches................ 1,212 
Total men in the service from Duval County.............. 4,942 


Financial Drives—Duval County 
Quota Subscribed 


June, 1917 First Liberty Loan........ $ 2,000,000 $ 2,159,000 
June, 1917 American Red Cross....... 100,000 76,200 
September, 1917 Army Library Fund....... 1,000 1,200 
October, 1917 Second Liberty Loan...... 3,000,000 3,200,000 
October, 1917 Y. M. C. A. War Work..... 35,000 18,400 
December, 1917 Army Camp Activities..... 30,000 26,500 
April, 1918 Third Liberty Loan....... 3,024,350 5,167,600 
May, 1918 American Red Cross...... 100,000 170,000 
June, 1918 War Savings Stamps...... 2,221,870 1,460,000 
October, 1918 Fourth Liberty Loan...... 6,704,800 8,678,450 
October, 1918 United War Work......... 175,000 176,100 
January, 1919 Near East Relief.......... 35,000 23,000 
May, 1919 Victory Loan see aka. 5,094,850 5,233,800 
May, 1919 Salvation Army Fund..... 10,000 12,600 

LOtAL ay eae ae ec ks $22,531,870 $26,402,850 
ETE Aan War SAVINGS SLAMS. Colle wists aclels cs leo c 4 ale ate se Sc 190,000 
Silent contributions and drives, local (estimated).......... 65,000 


Duval County’s total subscription................... $26,657,850 


260 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Launching the Government Ships 


The Government’s pre-war survey of the possibility of 
ship-building in the Jacksonville vicinity resulted favorably 
and within a few weeks after war was declared several firms 
had received ship-building orders. Some time was required 
to prepare the plants for the work, but when this was accom- 
plished the local shipyards went to work with a vim that 
broke several world’s records for speed. By the summer of 
1918 the work had reached a stage where it was not consid- 
ered an unusual occurrence for a new ship to slide from the 
ways into the St. Johns River. Four steamer types were 
built here—“composite’’, part steel and part wood; “Ferris 
type’, wooden cargo carrier; all-steel type; and concrete, 
hull of reinforced concrete. Their launchings as reported in 
the newspapers occurred as follows: 


May 30, 1918—While the band played “Star Spangled 
Banner” and while hundreds of people waved their hats or 
handkerchiefs. and cheered, the 3,500-ton ‘“‘composite’’ 
steamer “Red Cloud’, the first Government ship to be 
launched at Jacksonville and the first of the type in the 
South for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, was launched 
by the Merrill-Stevens Shipbuilding Corporation at 1 o’clock 
in the afternoon. As soon as the ship left the ways the keel 
for another was laid in the same place in exactly nine min- 
utes, breaking the American shipbuilding record. 


June 24, 1918—Steamer ‘“Dancey”, 3,500 tons, Ferris 
type, built entirely of pine cut in Florida, was launched by 
J. M. Murdock Co. 


July 4, 1918—<As a part of the national patriotic program 
three steamers were launched at Jacksonville. All were of 
3,500 tons, namely: “Apalachee”, composite type, launched 
by Merrill-Stevens Corporation; “Baxley”, Ferris type, 
launched by U. S. Shipping Board; “Bedminster”, Ferris 
type, launched by Morey & Thomas. 


August 3, 1918—Steamer “Botsford”, 3,500 tons, “com- 
posite” type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


August 24, 1918—Steamer “‘Kanabec”, 3,500 tons, “com- 
posite” type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 261 


September 2, 1918—Steamer “‘Harish’”’, 3,500 tons, Ferris 
type, launched by J. M. Murdock Co. 


September 10, 1918—Steamer “‘Bogosa”’, 3,500 tons, Fer- 
ris type, launched by Morey & Thomas. 


September 19, 1918—Steamer “Caribou”, 3,500 tons, Fer- 
ris type, launched by St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co. (for- 
merly Hillyer-Sperring-Dunn Co.) 


November 11, 1918—Steamer “Tyee’’, 3,500 tons, Ferris 
type, launched by Morey & Thomas. 


November 16, 1918—Steamer “Mayport”, 3,500 tons, Fer- 
ris type, launched by St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co. 


December 24, 1918—Steamer ‘‘Kusdeca’’, 3,500 tons, Fer- 
ris type, launched by Morey & Thomas. 


December 31, 1918—Steamer ‘‘Wayhut’’,, 3,500 tons, Fer- 
ris type, launched by St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co. 


January 30, 1919—Steamer ‘Fort George’’, 3,500 tons, 
Ferris type, launched by J. M. Murdock Co. 


February 20, 1919—Steamer “Ashbee’’, 6,000 tons, all- 
steel type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation ; this was 
the first vessel of the type launched in the South. 

April 8, 1919—Steamer ‘“‘Chion”’, 3,500 tons, Ferris type, 
launched by Morey & Thomas. 


April 10, 1919—Steamer “Fort Lauderdale’’, 3,500 tons, 
Ferris type, launched by J. M. Murdock Co. 


July 16, 1919—-Steamer “Fort Pierce”, 3,500 tons, Ferris 
type, launched by St. Johns River Shipbuilding Co. 


August 2, 1919—Steamer “‘Wekika’’, 6,000 tons, all-steel 
type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


October 4, 1919—Steamer “Jacksonville”, 6,000 tons, all- 
steel type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


December 24, 1919—Steamer “‘Chickamauga’’,, 6,000 tons, 
all-steel type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


March 2, 1920—Steamer “Pinellas”, 6,000 tons, all-steel 
type, launched by Merrill-Stevens Corporation. 


262 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


June 30, 1920—Steamer “Dinsmore”, concrete tanker, 
7,500 tons dead weight, launched by A. Bentley & Sons Co. 


September 28, 1920—Steamer “Moffitt”, concrete tanker, 
7,500 tons, sister ship of the “Dinsmore”, launched by A. 
Bentley & Sons Co. 


This completes the list of steamers constructed at Jack- 
sonville for the Government under the war-time contracts. 


Camp Joseph E. Johnston 


*Acting upon a recommendation of Gen. J. C. R. Foster, 
adjutant general, the Florida Legislature authorized the ap- 
pointment of a commission with powers to select and recom- 
mend suitable ground for a permanent State Camp. This 
commission after careful investigation and full consideration 

_ with respect to transportation, physical lay-out and general 
suitability recommended in May, 1907, that a tract of land at 
Black Point (then known as Philbrofen), comprising 1,300 
acres, or as much thereof as necessary, be acquired by the State 
for a camp site. The commission stated in the recommenda- 
tion that it held an option on this property for $20 an acre; 
that the citizens of Jacksonville had already raised $6,000 
toward the purchase of the site; and that $8,000 was available 
from Federal funds for the purchase of a portion to be used 
as a target range. 

The recommendation of the commission was approved, 
whereupon the city of Jacksonville purchased and presented 
300 acres of the tract to the State. This was the nucleus about 
which the reservation was built. Purchases were subsequently 
made from Federal funds until approximately 1,000 acres were 
secured. The first encampment of State troops at Black Point 
was June 8-15, 1909. 

There was constructed on this reservation the second 
largest rifle range in the United States, only Camp Perry, 
Ohio, being larger. This range was twice used for National 
matches, in 1915 and 1916. 

Both Federal and State governments contributed to the 
development of the reservation and its appointments. More 
than $250,000 was spent in establishing it prior to 1917. 

The Federal government took over the reservation for 
war uses in September, 1917, and greatly expanded it by leas- 
ing land from private owners. It was used during the World 
war as a quartermasters training camp under the name Camp 
Joseph E. Johnston. 


The pre-war resolution of the Jacksonville Real Estate 
Exchange, that Jacksonville be selected as a point for the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 263 


mobilization of troops in case of war was immediately taken 
up by prominent citizens, and as soon as war was declared 
Florida’s representatives in Washington were requested to 
look after Jacksonville’s interest. The struggle to procure 
one of the original sixteen cantonments authorized by the 
Government began at this time and it developed into a hard 
fight, which resulted in a decision by General Leonard Wood 
to send his aide here to make an inspection of Black Point. 
This officer came and went over the site on a rainy day; went 
back to Washington and made an unfavorable report, as 
follows: First, defective terrain; second, inadequate water 
supply; third, mosquito-ridden and malarious. When this 
report became known here it created indignation. Headed 
by W. R. Carter, editor of the “Jacksonville Metropolis”, 
Jacksonville rolled up its sleeves and began the fight for a 
camp in earnest. Finally General Wood came down himself 
to look the situation over (June 25, 1917). His inspection 
was made on a normal day and he was so impressed that he 
went back to Washington with a recommendation that Jack- 
sonville be given a camp. Everything seemed settled now 
and Jacksonville was joyous. Suddenly there came a report 
from Washington. that on account of military reasons involv- 
ing the I. W. W. in certain sections, the camp-site had been 
changed from Jacksonville to another point. This produced 
great disappointment, but the reasons were good and Jack- 
sonville patriotically surrendered. Not long after this word 
came that the Government was about to establish a quarter- 
masters’ training camp; here was another chance for Jack- 
sonville and the fight was started again. Jacksonville seemed 
destined to lose, for Washington was selected as the site upon 
the recommendation of the quartermaster-general. But the 
question arose as to the advisability of an inland site for such 
a camp and the matter again hung in the balance. 


*Once upon a time there was a Jacksonville youngster who 
made up his mind that he wanted to go to West Point and 
become a military man. Like many deserving boys he was 
ambitious, but poor. Skipping a period of struggle—hard 
work and preparation—we see him, grown to manhood, enter- 
ing West Point as a cadet. While the matter of finally select- 
ing the site for the quartermasters’ camp was swinging in the 
balance, Gen. Francis J. Kernan was called to the War Depart- 
ment for his views. The Jacksonville cadet, now a major- 


264 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


general in the army, recommended Jacksonville and his recom- 
mendation prevailed. 


Notice that Black Point had been selected was given out 
from Washington about the first of September, 1917. It was 
stated that the camp would be placed here if the authorities 
would keep liquor away from the soldiers. The Government 
being promised that its demands would be met promptly, at 
once sent out bids to Florida contractors for building the 
camp, which was estimated would cost two and a half million 
dollars. Wrangling among the contractors about some pro- 
visions of the bids caused an annoying delay, but it was 
finally straightened out and on October 1, 1917, actual work 
commenced on the camp under the supervision of construct- 
ing quartermaster Maj. Frederick I. Wheeler, U.S. A., and 
constructing contractors A. Bentley & Sons Co. On October 
18, Lieut. Col. Fred L. Munson and staff arrived and a few 
days later assumed formal charge of Camp Joseph E. John- 
ston (named for the Confederate general who before the 
War Between the States was quartermaster of the U. 8S. 
army). 


*On the morning of October 16, 1917, a soldier in uniform 
appeared at the office of the contractor at Camp Johnston and 
said he had arrived to report for duty. The contractor was 
astonished and did not know what to tell him as work on the 
camp had just started and it was not ready to receive recruits. 
Colonel Munson was hunted up and it was decided to provide 
quarters for the lone soldier and fix him up a mess. So Private 
Barclay, sent here by mistake from Camp Custer at Battle 
Creek, was the first private soldier to enter Camp Johnston. 


Workmen swarmed over the grounds at Black Point and 
the camp rose like a mushroom. The first batch of officers 
and enlisted men for training arrived at the camp November 
19, 1917; two weeks later the first detachment left Camp 
Johnston for duty overseas. 

In December, 1917, Camp Johnston was selected as a 
remount station, officially known as Auxiliary Remount 
Depot 333. One hundred and sixty acres were allotted for it 
and as completed the depot comprised 16 buildings for the 
men, and 14 stables with accommodations for 4,000 horses 
and mules. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 265 


In June, 1918, an enlargement of Camp Johnston was 
authorized at an expenditure of $1,700,000 and the work was 
in progress when the war closed. Under the enlargement 
program 50,000 men could have been accommodated. The 
greatest number of men at Camp Johnston at any one time 
was about 27,000. 

Notwithstanding the unfavorable report of General 
Wood’s assistant, Camp Johnston proved to be one of the 
healthiest camps, with a pro rata sick and death rate as low 
as that of any camp anywhere in the whole country. It was 
entirely satisfactory in every other way with the single 
exception of the failure at first to keep “the lid down tight’’. 
War-workers who came here in the early stages in public 
speeches stated that there was more drunkenness among the 
soldiers in this camp than in any of the others; this question 
became a very serious one and the commanders of the camp 
on several occasions threatened to “quarantine” Jacksonville. 
The situation however was cleared by Duval County voting 
“dry”, 

From first to last the people of Jacksonville did everything 
in their power for the entertainment and comfort of the 
“boys” at Camp Johnston. Ina score of ways the local camp 
activities committees strove to keep them smiling. Weekly 
boat rides were provided for the convalescents at the base 
hospital. A service club was established in the city, open to 
any who wished to come. 


*Here they found in a little room one of Jacksonville’s 
dearest old ladies, a “mother” for them, to whom they could go 
with their confidences; for comfort and cheer; for the picture 
that every man, rough and tender, carries in his heart, and 
especially at times like this. 


With the proverbial hospitality of the South the homes of 
Jacksonville were opened to these young men. “Invite a 
soldier to dinner” was a standard slogan; and they came in 
unselected lots. Few betrayed the trust. Overseas, they 
sent back to Jacksonville greetings and souvenirs. Postal 
cards and letters came from over-there, often with regu- 
larity ; but sometimes these suddenly ceased—and the reason 
was revealed in the lists published afterward. 

Demobilization began at Camp Johnston the first week 
in December, 1918. By the following February there were 
but a few soldiers left, principally for the purpose of guard- 


266 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ing the property. The Remount Depot had been closed and 
the stock sold at public auction. 

The final disposition of Government property at Camp 
Johnston was made in1921. A great deal of surplus personal 
property was given to the State, much of which was stored 
in a large warehouse at Yukon Station near the camp and 
was totally destroyed by fire June 22, 1921, the loss approxi- 
mating $150,000 in value without a dollar of insurance. Full 
possession of 682 acres of the cantonment site together with 
154 buildings was returned to the State military authorities 
June 25, 1921. The remaining property, comprising 453 
buildings and a wealth of supplies, was sold a few days later 
at public auction for a mere song. The buildings were torn 
down and the lumber carted away. Once the pride of a nation 
Camp Johnston today is but a dingy skeleton tenanted by 
bats and owls, except once a year when the State encamp- 
ment is held there; but it did what it was intended to do— 
help win the war. 


*The State is now making plans to relay the entire plant 
at Black Point with a view of providing not only a thoroughly 
equipped training camp for the National Guard, but also an 
attractive State park. 


The war-time commanders at Camp Johnston were: Col. 
Fred L. Munson until April 8, 1918; Col. Charles L. Willard, 
April 8 to September 29, 1918; Maj. Gen. William P. Duvall, 
September 29, 1918, until the close of the war. The demobili- 
zation and subsequent sales of property were accomplished 
under the supervision of various officers. 


Duval County Home Guards 


On April 7, 1917, the day after war was declared, a body 
of citizens met to discuss the advisability of organizing a bat- 
talion of home guards to furnish protection for the communi- 
ty, as it was certain that the local companies of State troops 
would be called to the colors. The Mayor’s committee on Pub- 
lic Safety, composed of the heads of various civic organiza- 
tions and other prominent citizens, took the matter up and on 
April 19 the battalion was organized, the first, it was said, 
in the United States. On June 1, the County Commissioners 
Officially accepted the battalion, and on August 7, 1917, it 
was mustered into the service of the County. The officers 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 267 


at this time were: J. L. Doggett, major; H. R. Payne, captain, 
Company A; A. G. Hartridge, captain, Company B; C. W. 
Tucker, captain, Company C; B. F. McGraw, captain, Com- 
-pany D. The muster roll comprised 468 officers and men. 


*The personnel of the battalion, both in officers and en- 
listed men, changed considerably during the course of the 
war. It was composed mostly of men who had had military 
training before, either in the Spanish-American war or at mili- 
tary colleges, but who for one reason or another were exempt 
from service in the present war. Many of them volunteered 
later and were accepted. 


The home guards quickly became a well-drilled, effective 
military force. In the beginning there was some difficulty in 
establishing its status in regard to furnishing it with equip- 
ment and supplies, but the Legislature in 1917 legalized the 
organization and placed it on a military basis, subject to the 
call of the County of Duval. The Guards were armed with 
Krags and Springfield rifles; they wore the regulation uni- 
form—khaki, and service hat. The battalion was twice called 
out to meet emergencies. 

In October, 1917, Governor Catts, taking notice of rumors 
that violence was contemplated against officials of a defunct 
Live Oak bank who were to be tried in Madison, ordered a 
company of the Duval County Home Guards to Madison, as 
a protection for the court and the defendants during the trial. 
Being a County organization, the question arose as to 
whether service outside the County was legal; it was settled 
by a call upon the battalion for volunteers for this special 
duty, and enough men responded to make up two provisional 
companies, aggregating 12 officers and 137 men. The com- 
manding officers were: J. L. Doggett, major; A. G. Hartridge, 
captain, Prov. Co. F; C. W. Tucker, captain, Prov. Co. G. On 
Sunday night, October 7, 1917, this force left Jacksonville for 
Madison by special train, the defendants in the case being 
aboard, while the trial judge was picked up en route. Ar- 
riving at Madison, it was a novel sight for a judge of the 
court and the defendants in a civil suit, to be marched 
through the streets, closely guarded by two companies of 
militia with fixed bayonets, like prisoners of war. The ‘“Bat- 
tle of Madison” was a bloodless one, for the violence did not 
materialize. 


268 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


*On one occasion, however, great excitement prevailed in 
the camp (Merchants Hotel). The time was around midnight, 
soon after relief of sentries. It was one of those cool, still 
nights, when sounds carry loud, in fact, seem magnified. Sud- 
denly an explosion, like the roar of a 12-pounder rent the air. 
The cadence of the heavy sleepers ceased forthwith, and the 
night sounds of the camp changed as if by magic into the 
clatter of bayonets, as side-arms were hurriedly buckled on. 
All stood ready for the order. Into this state of suspense 
crept the word that a deputy sheriff, with his ancient 44-Colt, 
had shot a dog. 


Returning from Madison on October 12, the Guards were 
met at the depot by a brass band, by the City Commission, 
in a body, and platoons of the Police and Fire Departments. 
The streets were lined with people, and the march up-town 
was almost a continuous ovation. 

On January 17-18, 1918, the Guards were on duty at and 
in the vicinity of the armory, as a result of rumors that ene- 
mies were going to dynamite the armory. They were re- 
lieved on the 19th by soldiers from Camp Johnston. 

The battalion of Duval County Home Guards participated 
in every patriotic parade held here during the war, and it 
always received a spontaneous outburst of applause in ap- 
preciation of its service to the community. It was invariably 
complimented by the officers of Camp Johnston for its mili- 
tary perfection. The ladies of the city presented the bat- 
talion with a stand of elegant silk flags, the ceremonies tak- 
ing place in Confederate park December 16, 1917, in the 
presence of several thousand spectators, following which the 
battalion was reviewed by the commander and other high 
officers of Camp Johnston. The Rotary Club gave the Home 
Guards an elaborate and long-remembered banquet at the 
armory ; this endorsement by this important civic club typi- 
fied the feeling of Jacksonville for the home militia. 

The Guards kept well recruited until after the armistice, 
when interest naturally began to wane. The emergency 
that brought it into existence having passed, the organiza- 
tion of Duval County Home Guards was officially disbanded 
in March, 1921. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 269 


Civilian War-Work 


First in responsibility and greatest in mental strain of 
all the home war-work, were the duties of the Local Boards. 
These boards of local citizens were constituted in every com- 
munity of the country for the purpose of classifying the men 
registered for the draft. In Duval County there were four— 
three for the City of Jacksonville and one for the County at 
Large. The matter of classifying the 31,930 men registering 
in the County, reading the lengthy questionnaires and es- 
tablishing the status of each, was a stupendous undertaking 
by itself; but added to it was the nerve-racking duty of hear- 
ing the claims for exemption, many of them under conditions 
that made a decision like splitting a hair, whether some 
mother’s boy should be classified for civil duty or sent off, 
maybe to the front-line trenches. The personal responsibili- 
ty of these ‘Dollar a Year” men was very great. They were 
the civilian generals of America’s armies and they nobly per- 
formed their duties. 

The war developed numerous activities of a self-sacrific- 
ing nature, and to all of them the patriotic men and women of 
Jacksonville gave their time and money freely. They drove 
all of the war bond loans beyond their quotas; oversubscribed 
to others and contributed well to the balance. Day and night 
they worked in the interest of the soldiers through the many 
radiating lines of war activities. They heard the call of local 
charities multiplied as a result of the war, and met it. Ev- 
erywhere, and in everything, they worked for the advance- 
ment of the cause, and they made for Jacksonville a record 
that stands well above the average for the country. 


Living Conditions During the War 


The selection of Jacksonville as a shipbuilding point and 
war campsite affected local business, living and social con- 
ditions in a number of ways. As soon as the shipyards were 
opened, labor flocked to them, attracted by the relatively 
enormous wages offered almost any and everybody. Local 
business concerns were hampered, being unable to meet the 
wage scale of the shipyards, notwithstanding the fact that 
the tide that set in for the North in 1915-16 was now begin- 
ning to flow homeward. Nearly all the vacant office space 
in Jacksonville was taken by the Shipping Board, Emergency 


270 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Fleet Corporation and allied interests. Other vacant prop- 
erty filled rapidly. It was a quick shift from slow to war- 
time activity. 

The tremendous wages paid by the shipyards induced ex- 
travagant living among Government workers, and naturally 
this had an effect upon all lines of local business. Rents ad- 
vanced; the cost of living continued to rise, and the charge 
of profiteering was frequently heard. The high cost of living 
fell heavily upon the lower-salaried employees, men and wom- 
en, not engaged in Government work. The cost of commodi- 
ties continued to rise until it was checked with respect to 
food essentials by the Federal Food Administration, which 
began to function in September, 1917; but not before food 
prices had reached a 60% rise above those of 1914. In No- 
vember, 1917, a food-pledge campaign was started; 16,500 
Jacksonville families signed pledge cards, promising con- 
servation of food by the use of substitutes, mainly for white 
flour and granulated sugar, in order that the “boys” in uni- 
form might not be denied these. Most families conformed to 
the pledge strictly, and their tables were supplied with no 
white bread, and but little white sugar, for a year. The ho- 
tels and high-class restaurants did likewise. The stores had 
white flour for sale, but they could not sell it without an equal 
amount of some substitute to be used with it. Many combi- 
nations of part flour and part substitute were tried with suc- 
cess. It has been proven since that this change in diet pro- 
duced no ill effects upon health, and in fact, the tendency 
was otherwise. 

The “‘wheatless” days (when no flour at all was sold) and 
the “meatless” days, the “‘heatless” days and the “lightless” 
nights (to conserve fuel) were familiar terms in Jacksonville 
during the war; they were not local, but a part of the national 
program. The Federal Food administration, beginning in 
September, 1917, and the Federal Fuel Administration, in 
the following December, were important factors in keeping 
prices regulated, as is shown in the Government’s report of 
October 1, 1918, for Jacksonville, namely: 

Based on prices of December, 1914, the cost of food in Jacksonville 
has increased 60%; fuel and light, 27%; clothing, 128%, furniture 131%. 


Upon the release of the Government’s administration, 
late in 1918, the prices of foodstuffs again began to rise, 
reaching the peak in the summer of 1920. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 271 


Retail Food Prices in Jacksonville 


Average as advertised by reliable firms. 









2 L2o4_ ; ane | Pasi | 2 918 
[Tun [Dee | Jun ——e Dec || Jun jDec 
Flour ,12-1be .50 |l.50|.47 50 |.65 | -90 |. £85 | # |.65 
03 |.03 ||.03 |.03|-02 |-05 .05 |.06 05 ||. 
oa Ele Cenc ed 
Potatoes,1b te -02 eles tata 05 1.03 | -03 |.03 |. 
ae 28 ae 551-37 | fe 45 lee 50 |.75 


Sugar ,1d ee 106 Ge -08 


Br.Bacon, ur +24 12 

Sir.Steak, > i 18 |. 20 ee 2 20 ae 
}Pork Hem,1> |}.28[.25 |[.35|.23 .27|.26 }|.2 
Live Hens,1b I 23 [2 | ahOils 38 [[-22 [23 Ee 035 i. 34: |.40 
Fresh Bgge, dsl . 25 {2 39 0.20 | 30 | oes Le: ede | 


35 It ch ee {-85 85 
? Not Wivestleed. 


















“e7 +90 














| 9 Pere elma a 


1918 


February 16: L’Engle building, at the northeast corner 
of Bay and Main Streets, badly damaged by fire. Loss to 
building and stocks amounted to about $80,000. 


February 26-March 9: Florida State Fair; 22 Counties 
represented. 


March 23: Fabricating building of Merrill-Stevens ship- 
building plant in South Jacksonville burned ; $60,000 damage. 


March 25: Dry kiln at the plant of Gress Mfg. Co. on Mc- 
Girts Creek destroyed by an explosion. 


May 14: Duval County was swept into the “Bone Dry” 
column by a vote of 3186 to 2386. Refers to intoxicating 
liquors. 


*When Camp Johnston was given to Jacksonville in 1917, 
it was with the understanding that Duval County would keep 
liquor away from the soldiers. A great deal of complaint 
arose that this was not done, which resulted in agitation that 


272 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 
1918 


developed two parties, known as “Drys” and “Wets”, the 
“Drys” seeking to make the County “bone dry” and the “Wets” 
to prevent it. The “Wets” strove in every way to prevent or 
delay an election by counter-petitions and injunctions, the 
Government all the time complaining about the failure to 
“keep the lid down”. On one occasion $100,000 worth of liquor 
was seized by the Government, and Jacksonville came to be 
known as a “booze oasis”. The commander of Camp Johnston 
issued an order prohibiting soldiers to visit Jacksonville on 
Saturdays, with a promise of making it seven days in the week. 
The election was held four days afterward with the above re- 
sult. 


May 24: Main’s foundry in South Jacksonviile, engaged 
in filling Government orders, was destroyed by fire; loss $20,- 
000. 


June: Strike of carmen of the Jacksonville Traction Com- 
pany for recognition of the union and increase in pay. It 
was a partial strike, as many employees remained loyal. As 
a patriotic move women of the local Liberty League acted 
as conductors on the cars for several days, the first instance 
of the kind in the history of Florida. Considerable violence 
was directed against the loyal carmen; several of them were 
shot with bird shot. On one occasion a lady passenger, Mrs. 
G. D. Grant, wife of Captain Grant of Camp Johnston, was 
struck in the face by a brick thrown at the car, and very 
seriously injured. 


July 16: Fire destroyed the entire plant of the American 
Agricultural Company in the Talleyrand section. The loss 
approximated $1,000,000. 


August 11: The paint and oil building of the Hubbard 
Hardware Company, of the south side of Bay Street between 
Main and Laura, was gutted by fire. The loss exceeded $100,- 
000. 


November 27-December 7: Florida State Fair. 


Influenza Epidemic, 1918 


In his report to the City Commission, December 31, 1920, 
the City Health Officer, Dr. Wm. W. MacDonell, said: 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 273 


On September 18, 1918, influenza, or grippe as it is sometimes 
called, was first brought to our attention as occurring in prisoners at 
the city farm. The disease gained a momentum all over the city, so that 
by October ist it was reported to the City Commission as being epi- 
demic in Jacksonville. Warning notices were inserted in the news- 
papers with directions as to symptoms and what to do if taken sick. On 
October 4, a call was issued for volunteer nurses. On the 7th, cases 
and deaths had become so numerous that the schools were closed by the 
Superintendent of Public Instruction, after conference with the City 
Health Officer. The motion picture shows closed their doors voluntarily 
upon the informal request of this department. The City Commission, 
on October 8, by order, closed all amusement places and soft drink 
parlors, and placed a ban on indoor public gatherings; and on October 
10 ordered all retail stores opened at nine a.m. and closed at four p.m., 
so as to limit street-car congestion. A soup kitchen, for those unable to 
secure nourishment, was opened on October 10, in the basement of the 
Union Congregational church by the Sunday School. Deliveries were 
then made by citizens in automobiles, and over one hundred cases were 
served the first day. St. John’s Parish guild took over some of the work 
on the 11th, and a kitchen was also opened for negroes, in Stanton 
school. Following this a diet relief organization was formed, and ali 
of these activities were grouped under systematic management, funds 
being contributed by many citizens. On October 12, General Duvall, 
commander of Camp Johnston, tendered the use of four army portable 
soup kitchens, which was accepted. This relief organization served 
5709 white and 11,084 colored cases from October 10 to October 22, 
when the necessity for such relief no longer existed. Emergency hos- 
pitals were opened at the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. M. H. A. buildings, at 
Stanton school, and at St. Luke’s Hospital. The local Red Cross stood 
sponsor for the hospital at Stanton school, and their ambulance and 
the sanitary detachment were on the job night and day. 

The peak of the epidemic was reached about the 18th of the month 
(October), on which day there were 39 deaths. New cases apparently 
ceased to develop by the 22nd (October), and at the end of the month 
there had been 464 deaths from influenza or complicating pneumonia. 
The disease ran through all the susceptible material before it died down. 
lt is estimated that there were nearly 30,000 persons infected with the 
disease and that none of our published precautions had any effect on 
the disease. 

In January, 1919, there were 471 additional cases reported, and for 
the year 1919 there were 621 cases with 64 deaths. 

In 1920, during February and March, there were 2,541 cases, with 
79 deaths. A large number of physicians reported in 1920 that about 
one-quarter of their cases had had a previous infection, in 1918. 


The foregoing tells the official story of the epidemic of 
1918. There was no panic among the people like that of the 
yellow fever epidemic of 1888, for the “flu” was everywhere, 


274 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


all over the world, and there was no place to go to escape it. 
Yet the same dreadful hush hung over the community dur- 
ing those four weeks of October; the same resignation to the 
inability to combat the spread of the disease; the same seri- 
ous countenances and indications of mourning—all served 
to remind the old citizen of the terrible time thirty years 
before. The business thoroughfares of the city looked de- 
serted, and many of the stores were closed, with a sign “Ail 
sick’, hanging on their doors. As the Health Officer says, 
the precautions recommended had no effect, and doctors and 
nurses suffered even in greater proportion than the layman, 
perhaps because of the superhuman demands upon them. 

While the 427 deaths during the yellow fever epidemic of 
1888 were stretched over a period of 4 months, the 464 
deaths from the “flu” of 1918 occurred within a period of 
about 4 weeks. The rattle of the death carts of 1888 was 
supplanted by the whir of the motor in 1918, as the trucks 
took their loads away. 

It is well to note that the complicating pneumonia which 
caused most of the deaths from influenza, developed in near- 
ly every case from a relapse, as the result of the patient’s 
getting out of bed and becoming chilled while the fever of 
the first attack was on him, or too soon after it had left him. 


1919 


February 14: Halsema’s planing mill in Springfield was 
destroyed by fire; property loss about $129,000. 


April 3: Palace theatre at southwest corner of Forsyth 
and Ocean Streets formally opened. 


April 18: Maj. T. C. McCauley landed at Camp Johnston, 
having completed a cross-continental flight by aeroplane 
from San Diego, Cal., in 25 hours and 45 minutes, flying time. 


June 3: Business and Professional Women’s Club or- 
ganized. Officers: Dr. Julia Larmoyeux, president; Miss 
Louise Pinnell and Miss Isabel Odiorne, vice-presidents ; Miss 
Margaret Behr, recording, and Miss Hortense Broward, cor- 
responding secretary; Mrs. Charles Davies, treasurer. 


September 8: Soon after dark a band of determined 
white men appeared at the County jail, overpowered jailer 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 275 


1919 


Tucker, and took out Bowman Cook and John Morine, two 
negroes, charged with the murder of a local white man. The 
negroes were taken to the vicinity of the cemetery and shot 
to death. One of the bodies was tied behind an automobile 
and dragged into the city and cut loose in front of the Wind- 
sor Hotel. This is the only record that has been found of an 
actual lynching in Jacksonville. 


October 28: A large portion of Jacksonville’s population 
lined the waterfront from Market Street to Commodore’s 
Point, while hundreds more were crowded on box cars and 
other vantage points, to witness the arrival of Lt. Com- 
mander A. C. Reed and the famous NC 4, the first heavier 
than air craft to cross the Atlantic in flight. The airship ar- 
rived at 5 p.m., circled once or twice over the city, and made 
a perfect landing in the St. Johns River fifteen minutes later. 
The NC 4 was accompanied by two smaller air craft. They 
remained here until 30th and then left on their way down the 
coast to Miami. 


November 22-29: Florida State Fair. 


Strikes of 1919 


The inevitable readjustment of working conditions after 
the war produced unrest among the workers, and the situ- 
ation in 1919, in Jacksonville, was not a serene one. The year 
was characterized by frequent walk-outs, some in protest of 
wage readjustments, others with a demand for higher wages, 
and still others for recognition of their unions by the em- 
ployers. 

In March there was a strike of workmen in the plant of 
the Merrill-Stevens Corporation over the disregard of the 
seniority plan in the promotion of an employee. 

In June the operators and office force of the Western 
Union Telegraph Company went out on strike for higher pay. 
This strike lasted a month and was not without violence. As- 
suming a threatening aspect, the strike was practically ended 
June 25, when Judge Riydon M. Call handed down a restrain- 
ing order against the striking employees. 

On June 11, the entire body of city firemen, about 100 
men, left their station houses, the City Commission having 
ignored their ultimatum for the reinstatement of a dis- 


276 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1919 


charged employee. The organization of a new fire depart- 
ment was begun at once, and until it was completed, promi- 
nent citizens acted as volunteers, sleeping in the station 
houses. During the progress of the strike it was attempted 
to bring about a recall of the City Commission, and upon 
failure in the Council the only instance of violence during the 
strike occurred, when an individual made a personal assault 
upon an elderly Councilman. At the end of six weeks practi- 
cally all of the old men returned and were reinstated. The 
striking firemen issued notice that in cases of threatening 
fires they would volunteer their services during the danger. 

In August there was a strike of railroad shopmen for in- 
crease of pay. This strike lasted two weeks, during which 
time the railroads declared embargoes and curtailed train 
service. 

In August the cigar makers at the Gonzalez & Sanchez 
factory struck; they were out two weeks. 

In September there was an echo of the strike of the girl 
operators of the Southern Bell Telephone Company that 
started in the spring, but which had not entirely ceased. 
For several months it had been the habit of the striking 
girls to picket the locality of the telephone building and tan- 
talize the loyal employees as they went back and forth to 
work. Finally, September 11, the loyal girls in a body turned 
upon their tormentors, and the people in that locality that 
day witnessed the most spectacular exhibition of scratching 
and hair-pulling ever staged in Jacksonville. 

In October there was a strike of the workers in the Mer- 
rill-Stevens South Jacksonville plant; they were out a week. 


1920 


January 3: Formal opening of the Jacksonville Tourist 
and Convention Bureau at No. 8 West Duval Street. 


January 19: Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Com- 
pany bought out the Home Telephone Company (automatic), 
following an ineffectual attempt of the latter to sell its plant 
to the city. 


January 14: As an outgrowth of the local war camp com- 
munity activities, the Jacksonville Community Service held 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 277 


1920 
its preliminary organization meeting. The permanent or- 
ganization was formed afterward and its first public effort 
was the city-wide clean-up movement of April 5-17, 1920. 


April 14: Eamon DeValera, so-called president of the 
“Irish Republic” spoke to a packed house at the Duval 
theatre in an appeal to the American public for recognition 
of the republic of Ireland. 


April-May: Serious congestion in the local freight yards; 
temporary embargoes inaugurated by the railroad and ex- 
press companies. 


May 28: Sixty clerks in freight offices of East Coast and 
Atlantic Coast Line railroads strike; they returned to work 
on June 4. 


June 6: Strike of 75 workmen in Murphy Iron Works; 
spread next day to the Merrill-Stevens Corporation. The de- 
mand was for 90 cents an hour and closed shop. 


June: City-wide campaign for the extermination of rats 
as preventive of introduction of bubonic plague prevalent 
elsewhere. The campaign was carried on until the end of 
August; no plague rats were found. 


September 1: Reorganization of the Jacksonville Com- 
munity Service upon a permanent basis; Lee Guest, chair- 
man. 

September 7: Registration of women entitling them to 
vote under the suffrage amendment started. Miss Helen 
Hunt was the first woman to register in Duval County. The 
registration continued until October 16, and in the 15 city 
wards 8702 white women and 7309 negro women registered. 


October 4: Fire destroyed the main plant of the Wilson 
& Toomer Fertilizer Co., and seriously damaged the plant of 
the Mason Forwarding Co., entailing a property loss close to 
$1,000,000. 


November 7: Rev. “Billy” Sunday, the evangelist, opened 
his revival in Jacksonville. He preached here until December 
19th. 


Novemher 18-27: Fourth annual State Fair. 


278 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1920 


November 24: A committee appointed by the Duval 
County Council of Social Workers to investigate the success 
of the community chest idea in other cities, met at the Semi- 
nole hotel, Rev. Milton E. Worsham, chairman, presiding. 
The sentiment voiced at this meeting was that the plan should 
be adopted in Jacksonville. 


*Then followed several years of preliminary work, which 
finally crystallized in a permanent organization January 14, 
1924. The first officers of this organization were: F. C. 
Groover, president; A. G. Cummer and Mrs. W. B. Young, 
vice-presidents; F. P. Dearing, treasurer; J. B. Williams, sec- 
retary. In April, 1924, the first annual campaign for funds 
was made, from which the sum of $208,795 was subscribed by 
9203 contributors. The estimated budget was oversubscribed 
$7,000. This was the start of the Jacksonville Community 
Chest, including in its scope the first year twenty-one local 
charities. 


December 14: The Jacksonville Community Players or- 
ganized, at a meeting held in the parlors of the Windsor hotel. 
Officers elected: M. B. Stephenson, president; Miss Tracy 
L’Engle, Mrs. E. R. Hoyt and Miss Eleanor Rawson, vice- 
presidents; Mrs. E. H. Emery, secretary; Miss Gertrude 
Jacobi, treasurer. Their initial performance was ‘Sup- 
pressed Desires’’, a one-act comedy of two scenes, given at 
the Woman’s Club, January 3, 1921. 


December 19: Automatic telephone service in Riverside 
was inaugurated by the Southern Bell Telephone Co. 


The High Cost of Living 


Upon the release from the controlling influences of the 
Federal Food and Fuel administration, late in 1918, the index 
marking the cost of living began to click upward in violent 
fluctuations until August, 1920, when the peak was reached. 
Flour sold here, retail, for $1.00 for a 12-lb. sack, sugar for 
30 cents a pound, dairy milk for 25 cents a quart; men’s 
clothing was 199% and women’s apparel averaged 226% 
above the 1914 prices—and Jacksonville, according to the 
Government’s report, rose to the rank of 5th in the list of 
American cities with respect to the high cost of living at 
that time. There was a precipitous drop in prices after Au- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 279 


gust, from causes that are not well defined, although the fact 
that a presidential election was approaching had something 
to do with it. 


1921 


January 6: Formal opening of “Avondale”, a property 
subdivision adjoining “Riverside”, by Telfair Stockton & 
Co., and E. V. Toomer. 


February 16: Two masked men entered the apartment 
of W. H. Burden at the Lenox Hotel (Newnan and Adams 
Streets) while he and his wife and daughter, with G. A. 
Goodrich, were playing cards, and shot Burden and Goodrich, 
both of whom were killed. The murderers escaped in an au- 
tomobile and the mystery was never solved. 


February 24: Lt. Wm. DeVoe Coney, in a transcontinen- 
tal flight from San Diego, Cal., landed at Pablo Beach, having 
made the flight in 22 hours and 17 minutes, beating the rec- 
ord made by Maj. McCauley in April, 1919, by 3 hours and 32 
minutes. 


*In an effort to lower his own record, Lt. Coney, after 
many delays, hopped off from Pablo Beach at 1:40 a.m., March 
25, 1921, for San Diego. He drove a DeHaviland with Liberty 
motor. He was forced down at 7:30 a.m. of the same day at 
Crowville, La., and crashing into a tree, sustained injuries from - 
which he died five days later. Jacksonville was deeply grieved 
over the accident. 


March 6: Fire in the Ellis-Elder Storage warehouse on 
Broad Street resulted in a loss of $26,000. 


July 12: Plant of Swift & Co., on the south side of Bay 
Street, between Clay and Broad, was gutted by fire. Prop- 
erty loss $39,000. 


July 27: Bank of South Jacksonville held up and robbed 
of $3800 by five unmasked gunmen at 10 a.m. One of the 
most daring robberies in the history of Duval County. The 
robbers made a clean get-a-way in broad daylight and none 
was ever captured. 


september 4: While the Palace theatre was packed with 
a Sunday-night audience, a gunman appeared in the doorway 
of the office of the manager of the theatre, Geo. H. Hickman, 


280 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1921 


and demanded the box receipts. Manager Hickman and an 
employee were seated at a table. They thought a joke was 
being played on them and laughed at the stranger, where- 
upon the gunman made a dash for the money. A scuffle en- 
sued; Hickman was shot and killed and the other employee 
was stunned by a blow on the head. Frank Rollins, the gun- 
man, hastily gathered up $800 and fled, but was captured 
before he had gone a block. Planned as a “Wild West” hold- 
up and developing into murder, this affair brought to light 
a “master mind” in the person of a well-known local char- 
acter, John H. Pope, and the resulting trial was a sensational 
one. Both Rollins and Pope were convicted and sentenced to 
life imprisonment. 


November 5: The Daniel Boone tablet on the courthouse 
lawn was unveiled with ceremonies. The tablet contains some 
of the metal from the U. S. Battleship Maine, destroyed in 
Havana harbor just before the Spanish-American war. It 
was a gift from the Daniel Boone Trail Highway Association, 
and was erected to mark the Jacksonville end of the trail 
that winds through Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, 
Kentucky, and on to Kansas City, Mo. 


November 12-19: Fifth annual State Fair. 


December 22: “Marse” Henry Watterson, famous news- 
paper editor, died at the Seminole hotel. 


Crime Wave 


As an aftermath of the war and true to prediction, a crime 
wave swept over the country in 1920 and 1921. In Jackson- 
ville it reached noticeable proportions early in the winter of 
1920-21, and for two years murders, hold-ups and robberies, 
safe-cracking and thievery of every character were in full 
swing, accompanied by numerous suicides. A police force 
three times as large as Jacksonville had at that time, could 
not have stopped it, but, as usual under such conditions, 
there was a shake-up and a change of chiefs. Nevertheless, 
the crime wave continued and the record shows frequent 
murders, numerous suicides, hundreds of arrests, few con- 
victions, and nobody hanged. The criminals were mostly 
white strangers, and they did their jobs in professional style. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 281 


The wave gradually subsided and the city returned to its 
normal crime rate, though for another year there was an 
occasional flare-up in petty crime. 


1922 
March 9: The Putnam Lumber Company on McGirts 
Creek suffered a $100,000 fire loss. 


April 2: The ‘South Jacksonville’, ferry-boat between 
Jacksonville and South Jacksonville, with just one toot of her 
whistle, said farewell to her home waters and departed for 
Philadelphia to be used as a ferryboat there. 


Florida Historical Pageant 


April 20, 21, 22, 25: Reproducing in dramatic and spec- 
tacular form the early history of Florida, the Florida His- 
torical Pageant Association of the Jacksonville Community 
Service, after several months of preparation and rehearsal, 
presented the largest and most beautiful pageant ever seen in 
the Southeast. Nineteen hundred people in costume took part 
init. The stage was a rare natural location of several acres 
on the bank of the St. Johns River in “‘Riverside’’, now known 
as Ribault Place; here the scenes moved all over the State, 
St. Johns River, St. Augustine, Tampa, Pensacola—a vivid 
portrayal of Spanish, French, English and American events 
and customs, in color and pantomime, from the time of Ponce 
de Leon’s landing in 1513, to that when Andrew Jackson and 
Governor Duval played their parts for the United States. 
From the moment that Ponce de Leon put his foot ashore, 
planted the standard of Old Spain, and took possession, to 
the ensemble of groups and characters three hours later, 
there was a continuous procession as each group, dressed in 
the costume of the day it represented, came on the field from 
behind brush screens, performed its part and went away. 
Many child groups, representing inanimate Florida, its 
legends, flowers, trees, rivers, and springs, were used as in- 
terludes. Four performances were given, that of the 25th 
being a night performance, under specially provided electric 
lights. The pageant was a refined, educational production of 
immense proportions, and it impressed upon the minds of 
everyone that saw it the history of the most historic State in 
the Union, and especially the school children, hundreds of 
whom took part in it. 


282 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1922 


June 2: City sub-electric light and power building in 
waterworks park was damaged by fire to the extent of $24,- 
000. 


July 1: Railroad shopmen, 1000 strong, walked out on 
strike upon call from headquarters. The strike was orderly 
for two weeks, but in the third week intimidation began, and 
drifted into more or less violence. On August 25, an attempt 
was made by unknown parties to dynamite the southbound 
A. C. L. train near the city, and in view of the prevailing dis- 
order, the shopmen were charged with the job. On Septem- 
ber 2, picketing of the railroad shops ceased by reason of a 
Federal restraining order. September 12 another attempt 
was made to dynamite a railroad trestle near the city, at 
Six-mile creek; the perpetrators in this case were captured 
near the scene by the authorities, who had received advance 
notice of the attempt. September 16 the third and last at- 
tempt to dynamite a trestle of the A. C. L. near the city was 
made; the striking shopmen likewise got the blame for it. 
The strike practically ended on September 18, when many 
shopmen returned to work. 


July 6: Reid Brothers’ furniture storage warehouse at 
Forsyth and Jefferson Streets gutted by fire. Property loss 
in this fire $75,000. 

August-November: An epidemic of dengue fever swept 
Jacksonville. It was first noticed on August 5. From Au- 
gust 19 to September 2 the disease spread by leaps and 
bounds, reaching the peak during the last week of Septem- 
ber and gradually diminishing thereafter until November, 
when the epidemic closed. There were 2486 cases reported, 
with no deaths directly from the disease. Mosquitoes were 
charged with the spread of the disease. 


September 4: Lt. James H. Doolittle hopped off from Nep- 
tune Beach at 10:03 p.m., on a trans-continental air flight to 
San Diego. He arrived at San Diego at 5:34 p.m. Pacific time 
(8:34 p.m. Jacksonville time) making the 2275 miles in 21 
hours and 18 minutes, actual flying time, beating Lieutenant 
Coney’s record of 1921 by 59 minutes. 


October 3: Moosehaven Home for the Aged opened at 
Orange Park. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 283 


November 12-25: Florida State Fair. 


Radio popularity in Jacksonville began in the fall of 1922, 
as the result of a radio fair given at the Windsor Hotel. 


1923 


January 1: A $30,000 fire at the southwest corner of Bay 
and Broad Streets; occupancy, Max Reuben, public auction 
and junk house. | 


April 4: Plan to consolidate City and County proposed 
by Telfair Stockton. 


April 10: April Follies inaugurated; a very creditable 
trades display. At night was the Jesters’ Ball, at which King 
James I (J. Y. Wilson) and Queen Ada (Miss Ada Cummer) 
were crowned. 


April 19: Spectacular oil fire at Pearl and 13th Streets; 
property of Petroleum Oil Products Company. 


June 29: The building originally built as the Flagler 
Open Air School at Sulphur Springs, near the city, was de- 
stroyed by fire. 


July 12: Formal opening of the Jacksonville-Lake City 
concrete highway ; celebrated at Lake City. The contractors 
that built this road were B. A. Inglis and C. F. Lytle. Built 
under State supervision. 


July 7: Sixty-one automobiles were either destroyed or 
greatly damaged by fire in the B. & P. garage at Duval and 
Davis Streets; loss estimated at $40,000. 


August 10: Jacksonville’s residents thronged the vicini- 
ty of Hemming Park at 4 p.m., as a united expression of sor- 
row at the death of President Harding. 


August 25: Clyde steamer Apache rammed and seriously 
damaged the tramp freighter Springfield, at Eastport, below 
Jacksonville. 


September: Jacksonville subscribed $5,265 to the Jap- 
anese earthquake sufferers. 


November 15-24: Florida State Fair. 
December 12: City Planning Commission organized. 
(Held its first meeting January 3, 1924.) 


284 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1924 


January 6: “Gypsy” Smith, evangelist, opened a three 
weeks’ engagement in Jacksonville. 


February 6: More than 7000 people assembled at the old 
tabernacle in Confederate Park to pay tribute to the memory 
of Woodrow Wilson, during the hour of his funeral. The 
principal address was made by H. L. Smith, president of 
Washington and Lee University, who happened to be in the 
city at the time. 


April 23: April Follies celebration. 


June 4: Fire in the Service Warehouse in the viaduct 
section destroyed $50,000 worth of property. 


June: First concrete safety zones built, at southwest 
corner of Forsyth and Main and southeast corner of Bay and 
Broad. 


June: Plant of the Independent Fisheries Co., at Mayport, 
burned; loss $125,000. 


June 80: Warehouse and dock fire east of the foot of 
Main Street; loss $70,000. For a time this fire threatened 
the entire down-town business section. This was the fire- 
boat’s first real test, and it proved an invaluable aid. 


July 25: Acid plant of the Armour Fertilizer Co., in Fair- 
field, burned as a result of being struck by lightning; loss 
$200,000. 


August 4: Fire in Morris & Co.’s packing house on West 
Bay Street resulted in a loss of $50,000. 


November 20-29: Florida State Fair. 


December 8: San Jose Boulevard paving completed and — 
accepted by the County Commissioners. 


December 25: Memorial to the Florida dead of the World 
war unveiled in Memorial Park, Riverside, by two little girls, 
Mary Bernard Burroughs and Mary Danto Bedell, amidst 
solemn ceremonies. The memorial was executed ‘by C. 
Adrian Pillars of St. Augustine, and interpreted by him as 
allegorical in type, being ‘“‘a visualization of humanity’s cease- 
less endeavor to rise above things earthly, and to attain im- 








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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 285 


1924 


mortality through self-sacrifice and spiritual triumph. The 
memorial represents a world encircled in a mad maelstrom of 
earthly passions—hatred, selfishness and greed. In the mael- 
strom are figures of men, women and children, fighting fur- 
iously against submergence. Rising triumphantly above the 
chaos is the winged figure of Youth, his brow encircled by a 
laurel wreath, and his arms outflung, one hand holding aloft 
an olive branch, emblem of peace. Youth has won immor- 
tality through forgetfulness of self in service to others, and 
his victory is spiritual rather than one of brute force.” 

The memorial was the result of a movement started by 
the Jacksonville Rotary Club, November 12, 1918, the day 
after the armistice was signed, for the erection by popular 
subscription of a suitable memorial for Florida’s dead of the 
World war. The amount raised was $49,000. Sealed in the 
cornerstone are parchments upon which are written in India 
ink the names of nearly 1200 of Florida’s dead. 


Among the notable features for Jacksonville in 1924 were: 


The establishment of the Ford automobile assembling and 
distributing plant, marking the advantages of Jacksonville as 
a distributing point for big business, and a recognition of 
its transportation and port facilities in a material way. 

The sudden awakening of realty activities with the plac- 
ing upon the market of fifty or more new residential subdi- 
visions in outlying districts, and a promise that the business 
section sky-line of 1914 would be materially changed in 1925- 
26. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


PART III 


History of Jacksonville’s development along specific lines, 
each chapter a history within itself of the subject indicated, 
namely: | 


Pages 
Municipal ‘Government i430, ysis ele ee aie ade eee 287-314 
Public: Improvements si) UN sgh ee, weet ate 815-340 
The! Railroads ii tile Gosiwsere aro eee bistete ie ye led hig ele an ese 341-857 
wt. dohns/ River, Navigationy .)./c5h i vies tna «eee ee 358-371 
Urban) Transportation | vac) ae een erties eee 372-382 
The ‘Port of Jacksonville. icwais vera 4 Senn ce tae 383-3892 
The Parent Churches....... UT eel et Oh te ee 3938-414 . 
The; Schools eco aa ewes ihaiew dialer eee ea 415-428 
Institutions, Clubs and Societies...............0.-ec+000: 424-447 
Phe INGWSPADeLs ya ie sci siWtaraly a) Mie’ wind a caaalcare hale elo te Cals eae aa 448--456 
SESE EAU AMER PRA cre Minha M OT Wille go 457-474 
Banking ‘Institutions eee WN, oad) ete ee 475-485 
Hotel vHistory. ied Valeo ote onieiehiL a eres tek an 486-495 


Climate and Health: a) UU ia ee ee a 496-499 


= ese at ie 


im 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 287 


CHAPTER XVI 


MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT 
Charter Changes Affecting Government 


Act No. 70, approved February 11, 1832 
Original charter of the Town of Jacksonville; published in 
full on pages 70-74. 


Act No. 44, approved March 2, 1840 

Repealed all Acts and parts of Acts incorporating the 
Town of Jacksonville. (Jacksonville was without a govern- 
ment for a year.) 


Act No. 12, approved February 10, 1841 

Provided for a town government composed of Intendant 
(Mayor) and six Councilmen, all of whom must be property 
owners in the town. Elected annually by the qualified elec- 
tors; first election on March 8, 1841, and thereafter annually 
on the first Monday in April. 


Act No. 84, approved January 13, 1859 

Municipality of Jacksonville created. Governing body: 
Mayor, eight Aldermen, Marshal, Treasurer, and Clerk, all 
of whom must be property owners in the City. Elected by the 
qualified electors annually on the first Monday in April. 


Act No. 4, approved February 4, 1869 

Provided a uniform system of government for all Towns 
and Cities in Florida. Government to consist of Mayor, a 
Council of not more than nine nor less than five Aldermen, 
Clerk, Marshal, Treasurer, and Collector, elected by the quali- 
fied electors. No specific date for holding election. No prop- 
erty qualifications required. All Towns and Cities must re- 
organize within nine months or forfeit their charters. 


Chap. 3775, Laws of Florida—1887 

Abolished the Towns of LaVilla and Fairfield and ex- 
tended the limits of Jacksonville to include them. Corporate 
government composed of Mayor, City Council of two mem- 
bers from each ward (nine wards created), Board of Public 
Works of three members, Comptroller, Recorder, Treasurer, 


288 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Board of Police Commissioners of three members, Municipal 
Judge, Marshal, to be elected as follows: 

Mayor: To be elected by qualified electors on the second 
Tuesday in December, 1887, and biennially on the same date 
thereafter. 

City Council: To be elected by qualified electors on the 
second Tuesday in December, 1887; two Councilmen to be 
elected from each of the nine wards as constituted, the one 
receiving the highest vote holding for four years and the 
next highest for two years, their successors to be elected bi- 
ennially on the second Tuesday in December. 

Comptroller, Recorder, Municipal Judge, Marshal: To be 
elected by the City Council at its first meeting in January, 
1888, their successors to be elected by the Council at its first 
meeting in June, 1889, and biennially thereafter. 

Board of Public Works: To be elected by the City Council 
at its first meeting in January, 1888, successors to be elected 
by the Council at its first meeting in June, 1889, for one, two, 
and three years, respectively. 

Board of Police Commissioners: To be elected by the City 
Council for a term of three years and until their successors 
be elected and qualified. (No specific time for election.) 

Treasurer: To be elected by the City Council at its first 
meeting in June, 1888, successor to be elected at the first 
meeting of the Council in June, 1889, and biennially there- 
after. 


Chap. 3952, Laws of Florida—1889 
(Usually known as House Bill No. 4) 


Provided for appointment of the City Council by the Gov- 
ernor, and the Mayor by the Council; no change in other of- 
ficers and boards as to method of election; specific time of 
election of Police Commissioners designated. 

City Council: Composed of eighteen members, two from 
each election district (ward) ; appointed by the Governor for 
term of three years each; appointment of first Council to be 
made “as soon as practicable after the passage of this Act’’. 

Mayor: To be elected by the City Council at its first meet- 
ing in June, 1889, and biennially thereafter. 

Board of Police Commissioners: To be elected by the City 
Council at its first meeting in June, 1889, and triennially 
thereafter. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 289 


Chap. 4301, Laws of Florida—1893 


Provided for a government composed of Mayor, City 
Council of one member from each ward and seven at-large; 
Board of Public Works of three members; Board of Police 
Commissioners of three members; Comptroller, Treasurer ; 
Recorder, Municipal Judge; Marshal. 

Mayor, Councilmen-at-Large, Comptroller, Treasurer: To 
be elected by qualified electors-at-large ; Ward Councilmen by 
the qualified electors of their respective wards; election by 
qualified electors Tuesday, July 18, 1898, and biennially there- 
after on the fourth Tuesday in May. 

Board of Public Works, Board of Police Commissioners, 
Municipal Judge, Recorder, Marshal, and all other city of- 
ficers not provided for, to be elected by the viva voce vote of 
the City Council. 


Ordinance, October 3, 1893 

Board of Bond Trustees of the Waterworks and Improve- 
ment Bonds of City of Jacksonville created ; composed of nine 
members. 

The Board of Bond Trustees was made an executive board 
and its powers greatly enlarged by Ordinance July 24, 1894. 


Chap. 4498, Laws of Florida—1895 

Provided for a government composed of Mayor, City 
Council of two members from each ward; Board of Public 
Works of three members; Board of Election Commissioners 
of five members; Comptroller, Treasurer, Recorder, Muni- 
cipal Judge, Marshal. Terms of all to be for two years. 
(Board of Bond Trustees not affected.) 

Councilmen to be elected by the qualified electors of their 
respective wards; Board of Public Works by the viva voce 
vote of the Council; all other officers by the qualified electors 
of the City at large. 

Board of Police Commissioners abolished and its duties 
assigned to the Board of Election Commissioners (created). 

First election on the third Tuesday in June, 1895, and 
biennially thereafter. 


Chap. 4872, Laws of Florida—1899 
Board of Election Commissioners abolished and its duties 
assigned to the Board of Bond Trustees. 


290 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Chap. 6357, Laws of Florida—1911 

Duties of the Board of Public Works and the City Board 
of Health assigned to the Board of Bond Trustees. Term of 
office of the Bond Trustees changed to four years each. 

Office of Comptroller abolished and in lieu thereof the 
offices of Assessor and Auditor created, effective July 1, 1911. 
Assessor to be elected by electors biennially ; Auditor to be 
appointed by the Council biennially. 

Office of City Marshal abolished, effective June 15, 1918. 


Chap. 6415, Laws of Florida—1912 

Special session of the Florida Legislature, called at the 
expense of the Jacksonville Board of Trade, to authorize a 
bond issue for the purpose of constructing municipal docks 
and terminals. Board of Port Commissioners composed of 
15 members created to supervise the construction. 


Chap. 6702, 6703, Laws of Florida—1913 

Wards 10 and 11 created. Ward 10 formed by a division 
of Ward 9; Ward 11, by a division of Ward 1. Council to be 
composed of 22 members—two from each ward—effective 
in 1915. 


Chap. 7659, Laws of Florida—1917 

City Commission of five members created; first set of 
Commissioners to be appointed by the City Council—two for 
a term of two years and three for a term of four years— 
their successors to be elected by the qualified electors for 
terms of four years each. 

Board of Bond Trustees abolished, its duties to be as- 
sumed by the City Commission. 

Office of Mayor abolished, effective in June, 1919, one of 
the Commissioners then to assume the duties as ex-officio 
Mayor. 

Port Commission abolished and its duties assigned to 
the City Commission. 

City Council to be composed of one member from each 
ward and seven at large, effective in June, 1919. 

Board of Charities created; to be composed of seven 
members, three of whom must be women; appointed by the 
City Commission and confirmed by the Council. 

a Auditor to be appointed by City Commission bien- 
nially. 


eo —"* 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 291 


Chap. 8281, Laws of Florida—1919 
Office of Mayor re-created by amendment to be accepted 


or rejected by the electors. (This amendment was adopted 
at the election of June 17, 1919.) 


Ordinance P-18, October 28, 1919 

Wards 12, 18, 14 and 15 created. Four Delegates were 
admitted to the Council, one from each ward. Council in- 
creased thereby to 22 members—one from each ward and 
seven at large. 


Chap. 8979, Laws of Florida—1921 
Provided for a City Council to be composed of one member 
from each ward and six at large, effective June 21, 1921. 


Chap. 9788, Laws of Florida—1923 

Playground and Recreation Board created; to consist of 
five members serving without pay; appointed by the Mayor 
biennially. (Became a law without the approval of the 
Governor.) 


Growth of the City Government 


The evolution of Jacksonville’s government through its 
various stages is a story full of interest. Before the War 
Between the States the Mayor and the City Council served 
without compensation—for the honor of the office. The 
blanket charter of 1869 changed it all, for coming into the 
hands of outsiders, the city government was operated with 
a high hand and without regard to expenses. When the 
home people gained control again in the election of 1876, 
they were confronted by a depleted treasury and the accu- 
mulated waste of half a dozen years. It took some time to 
build it up again. 

Ward representation was created by the Charter of 1887. 
The Board of Public Works was created at the same time, an 
infant that grew into a powerful board in after years. The 
board commonly called the Board of Bond Trustees was cre- 
ated by the City Council in 1893. Its powers were enlarged 
from time to time, until, by its absorption of other boards 
and finally the Board of Public Works in 1911, it became the 
city governing board in fact. 


292 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The appointment of the Bond Trustees by the City Coun- 
cil instead of by the electors was a question that was agitated 
for a long time, and a number of efforts were made to change 
the form of government. Manager, commission, and other 
forms were drafted, taken to the Legislature for approval 
and were lost there or defeated by the voters here. The Bond 
Trustees continued to run the city until July, 1917. Most of 
the important city improvements were completed or started 
under their jurisdiction and stand today as testimony of 
what they did. The Chairmen of this board during its life- 
time were: G. R. Foster, December, 1893, to January, 1895; 
B. F. Dillon, 1895 to November, 1907; Bion H. Barnett, 1907 
to April, 1910; W. M. Bostwick, Jr., 1910 to October, 1913; 
F. Richardson, 1913 to October, 1914; G. M. Powell, 1914 to 
February, 1916; Gus Muller, February to May, 1916; W. M. 
Bostwick, Jr., 1916 to July, 1917. 

The present form of government comprises five Commis- 
sioners; Mayor; twenty-one Councilmen; Assessor, Treas- 
urer and Collector; Recorder, Municipal Judge, elected by 
the qualified electors. 


SEAL OF JACKSONVILLE 





Jackson on a horse rampant. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 293 


Mayors of Jacksonville 


The first Mayor of Jacksonville was William J. Mills, who 
moved to Jacksonville from Amelia Island; he was elected 
under the charter of 1832. The designation of the chief 
executive was Mayor until 1841, when a new charter changed 
it to Intendant and it continued thus until 1859, when it was 
changed to Mayor again. The following record of Mayors of 
Jacksonville was compiled from various publications, largely 
from the newspapers of the time: i 


1882—William J. Mills 1847—Oliver Wood 
1833—William J. Mills 1848— 
1834—William J. Mills 1849—Rodney Dorman 


1835— 1850—J. McRobert Baker 
1836— 1851—Rodney Dorman 
1837— 1852—Henry D. Holland 
1838— 1858—Isaac Swart 
18389—Stephen Eddy 1854—F. C. Barrett 
1840—None 1855—Philip Frazer 
1841— 1856—F’.. I. Wheaton 
1842— 1857—George C. Gibbs 
1843— 1858—John 8. Murdock 
1844—Obediah Congar 1859—Holmes Steele 
1845— 1860—Halstead H. Hoeg 


1846—Joseph B. Lancaster 1861—Halstead H. Hoeg 
(No elections were held in 1840, 1862, 1863, and 1864) 


1865—Halstead H. Hoeg (Dem.) 

After the close of the war a feeble effort was made to 
establish a municipal government. Halstead H. Hoeg, who 
had been Mayor of Jacksonville two terms before the war, 
was induced to act as Mayor in 1865, for one year. Although 
this government consisted of Mayor, Marshal, Clerk of Coun- 
cil, six Councilmen, and three Policemen, it was one in name 
only, as the actual control of affairs was in the hands of the 
U. S. military. 


1866—Holmes Steele (Dem.) 


Dr. Holmes Steele followed Hoeg as Mayor in 1866. Dr. 
Steele had likewise been Mayor of Jacksonville before the 
war. He was a highly educated man and Southern to the 


294 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


bone, having served through the war. As before, there was 
not much for this administration to do. 


1867—Holmes Steele (Dem.); John Clark (Dem.) 

The negroes under radical Northern white leaders began 
to experiment with politics even before they were enfran- 
chised. Immediately upon the report that Congress had 
passed the “Reconstruction Acts”, they met in the negro 
Baptist church here, chose a ticket for city elections, and 
adopted resolutions reading, ‘‘Resolved, That we have become 
bona-fide citizens of Florida and the United States; that 
there is now no destinction between the white and black man 
in political matters’’, etc. Their election did not take place, 
as it was prohibited by military order of Colonel Sprague, 
commanding the U.S. troops at Jacksonville. 

Dr. Holmes Steele was appointed to succeed himself as 
Mayor. He died in office, May 7, 1867. 

John Clark was unanimously elected by the City Council 
May 14, 1867, to fill the vacancy created by the death of Dr. 
Steele. Mr. Clark was a merchant and respected citizen; it 
was said that the selection was made at the suggestion of 
Colonel Sprague. Wm. Grothe was the Acting Mayor in the 
interim between Mayors Steele and Clark. 


1868—-Edward Hopkins (Dem.) 

In the spring of 1868, Edward Hopkins was either elected 
or appointed, it is not clear which, to the position of Mayor. 
The Southern residents took no active part in it, as they had 
been practically disfranchised under the ‘‘Reconstruction” 
Acts of 1867. 


1869—Edward Hopkins (Dem.) 

Edward Hopkins was elected Mayor in 1869. The Con- 
stitution of 1868 had made suffrage universal, and the South- 
ern residents were now entitled to vote. The freedmen 
showed little interest in this election; their efforts now were 
directed more especially to State offices and the ‘fundamental 
foolishness” at Tallahassee. 


1870—Peter Jones (Rep.) 
The administration of local government by radicals began 


in 1870, when alien politicians marshalled their forces and 
gave battle to the Hopkins party. Peter Jones, a newcomer 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 295 


from the North, was selected as a fit candidate in full sym- 
pathy with their principles. Edward Hopkins was the candi- 
date of the Democrats and the conservative Republicans. 

Several weeks prior to the election political meetings 
were held in an open oak grove near the corner of Laura and 
Forsyth Streets, where crowds, nearly all freedmen, assem- 
bled at the sound of fife and drum, to listen to the white and 
the colored orators, who spoke loudly and long. These were 
boisterous scenes amidst great confusion, vehement hand- 
clapping and frequent ‘“‘Amens” on the part of the negroes. 
They were Jones’s meetings. 

The election was on April 5th. There was only one ballot 
box for the entire city. The voting place was a small two- 
story brick building situated in the middle of Newnan Street, 
south of and facing Bay. The election for Mayor resulted: 
Jones, 322; Hopkins, 293. 

Elected with Jones was the following administration, all 
Republicans: Roy P. Moody, Marshal; C. W. Blew, Treas- 
urer; J. C. Greeley, Collector; W. M. Ledwith, Assessor; 
George W. Frazier, Clerk. Aldermen: J. L. Requa, Thos. 
Eells, Perez Fridenberg, T. A. Willson, W. L. Coan (manager 
of the Freedmen’s bank), S. N. Williams, C. B. Simmons 
(colored preacher), and W. T. Garvin (colored). The South- 
ern white men were Williams, Ledwith, Moody, and Frazier. 


1871—Peter Jones (Rep.) 

Peter Jones measured up to all the requirements expected 
of him and he gained strength during his first administra- 
tion with his party. The Democrats realized that it was use- 
less to attempt to regain local government as they were hope- 
lessly outnumbered. F.I. Wheaton, a lawyer and once Mayor 
of Jacksonville before the war, however determined to make 
the attempt. The election was held on April 4, and resulted: 
Jones, 539; Wheaton, 140. 


1872—Peter Jones (Rep.) 

Peter Jones had little difficulty in securing the nomination 
from his party. Jones was opposed by Paran Moody, also a 
Republican. This contest is said to have been a spirited one. 
The election was held April 4th, resulting in the election of 
Jones as follows: Jones, 444; Moody, 328. 


296 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1873—J. C. Greeley (Rep.) 

In the election this year, the Democrats and the con- 
servative Republicans united for the purpose of defeating 
Peter Jones and his ring, and centered on J. C. Greeley. Mr. 
Greeley was a conservative Republican. The election was 
held April 1st, and Greeley was elected, but by what majority 
is unknown. 


1874—-Peter Jones (Rep.) 
J. C. Greeley and Peter Jones were opposed again this 


vear. Jones was elected by a small majority, the vote on 
April 4th being: Jones, 398; Greeley, 344. 


1875—Peter Jones (Rep.) 

The Southern residents now took up the fight in earnest 
to wrest the city government from the Northern politicians. 
They nominated Thomas E. Buckman, prominent citizen, 
Democrat, and ex-Confederate officer. Peter Jones was 
again a candidate. This was a square party fight, and al- 
though Captain Buckman was defeated, he made a strong 
showing and paved the way for the Democratic victory the 
following year. The election on April 5th resulted: Jones, 
518; Buckman, 418. 


1876—Luther McConihe (Dem.) 


There were four candidates in the race for Mayor this 
year, namely, Peter Jones, radical Republican; Luther Mc- 
Conihe, Democrat; J. R. Dey, independent Republican; Ed- 
ward Hopkins, Democrat. 


The campaign started in earnest when W. Stokes Boyd, 
of Philadelphia, a man of means and political strategy, en- 
tered the contest as McConihe’s political manager. Boyd 
was spending the winter here and said he wanted some fun. 
April 8d was a red-letter day for the Democrats, as McConihe 
was elected, the vote being: McConihe, 448; Jones, 248; Dey, 
109; Hopkins, 92. 

McConihe was a Boston capitalist, OEM Free Mason, 
and an all-round good citizen. There was great rejoicing 
among the Democrats over this election, for it was generally 
considered a return to home rule. 

Elected with McConihe was the following body of men, 
the first entirely white city government in eight years: John 
Tyler, Marshal; J. B. Crabtree, Clerk; M. A. Dzialynski, 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 297 


Assessor; B. A. Thebaut, Collector; H. M. Moody, Treasurer. 
Aldermen: T. E. Buckman, J. H. Burton, A. Doggett, J. C. 
Greeley, J. E. Hartridge, G. R. Jones, Gus Muller, A. E. 
Sawyer, B. H. Webster, all Democrats except Greeley and 
Sawyer, who were conservative Republicans. 


1877—W. Stokes Boyd (Dem.) 

April 2d: W. Stokes Boyd (Dem.) defeated J. H. Abbott 
(Rep.), the vote being: Boyd, 647; Abbott, 589. Abbott was 
said to be a bitter partisan. The Democrats celebrated the 
victory by an enthusiastic gathering at Polk’s hall on the 
following night. 


1878—-Luther McConihe (Dem.) 

April 1st: Three candidates were in this race, namely, 
Luther McConihe, Peter Jones, and J. H. Abbott. The vote 
was: McConihe (Dem.), 557; Jones (Rep.), 518; Abbott 
(Rep.), 56. The election was a quiet one. 


1879—Peter Jones (Rep.) 

July 17th: Owing to some legal snarl the election this 
year did not take place in April. A writ of mandamus was 
sued out in the circuit court and an election was ordered for 
July 17th. Luther McConihe (Dem.) and Peter Jones (Rep.) 
were the candidates for Mayor. Jones was elected. 


1880—J. Ramsey Dey (Rep.) 

April 5th: J. Ramsey Dey of New Jersey, a livery stable 
man, defeated Damon Greenleaf, a jewelry merchant. Dey 
was a Republican and Greenleaf ran as an Independent. The 
Democrats and conservative Republicans supported Green- 
leaf. Vote: Dey, 648; Greenleaf, 597; Peter Jones, 1; Ellis 
Moon (negro), 1. 

Peter Jones again was a candidate in the Republican nom- 
inating convention, but Dey secured the nomination. The 
names of Jones and Moon were written in at the election. 


1881—Morris A. Dzialynski (Dem.) 

April 4th: Morris A. Dzialynski, Democrat, and an ex- 
Confederate soldier, defeated Horatio Jenkins, Republican, 
by a vote of 559 to 529. This was the same Jenkins that 
figured so prominently in the Osborn political machine during 
the “Reconstruction” period. | 


298 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1882—Morris A. Dzialynski (Dem.) 


April 3d: The campaign issue in this election was the 
question of open saloons (liquor) on Sunday. 

The vote for Mayor was: M. A. Dzialynski (Dem.), 693; 
William H. Ledwith (Rep.), 428; J. R. Dey (Ind. Rep.), 91. 


1883—W. McLaws Dancy (Dem.) 


April 2d: For Mayor the vote was: W. McLaws Dancy 
(Dem.), 887; P. E. McMurray (Rep.), 529. 

Open saloons on Sunday and the city’s affairs in general 
were pre-election questions in the campaign. 


1884—-W. McLaws Dancy (Dem.) 


April 7th: The two tickets in the field this year were 
known as the Democratic-Conservative and the Citizens’. 
The Republicans were affiliated with the Citizens’ ticket. The 
result of the election was: W. McL. Dancy (Dem.-Cons.), 
649; C. B. Smith (Cit.-Rep.), 566. 


1885—M. C. Rice (Dem.) 


April 6th: The vote for Mayor in this election was: M. C. 
Rice (Dem.), 761; C. B. Smith (Citizens’), 656. 

Remarking on this election the Times-Union said: “The 
young Democrats turned out and worked with a will and 
to their efforts to a great extent is due the success of the 
ticket. The friends of the Citizen or Smith ticket also worked 
hard and money is said to have been freely spent. One thing 
above all others was noticeable and that was the increased 
price of purchasable votes. Last year the price ranged from 
25 cents to $2.50; but this year the average was $7.00, the 
range being from $5.50 to $12.50.” 


1886—Patrick McQuaid (Dem.) 

April 5th: Patrick McQuaid (Dem.) was victorious over 
J.R. Dey (Rep.) by a vote of : McQuaid, 767; Dey, 333. 

At the Democratic convention Dr. W. McL. Dancy re- 
ceived the nomination for Mayor, but he decided not to run 
for the office. Patrick McQuaid was then asked to head the 
Democratic ticket. 


1887—(April election) J. Q. Burbridge (Dem.) 
The young men’s Democratic club started early for the 


April election and endorsed J. Q. Burbridge for Mayor. At 
the regular Democratic convention W. McL. Dancy was nom- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 299 


inated, but the young Democrats would not withdraw their 
support from Burbridge with the result that there were two 
Democratic candidates in this election. The Republicans did 
not enter a candidate in this contest. The election was held 
April 4th, and resulted: Burbridge, 854; Dancy, 644. 


1887—(December election) C. B. Smith (Rep.) 

The charter of May 31, 1887, abolished the towns of La- 
Villa and Fairfield, and extended the limits of Jacksonville 
to include these and the most of Springfield. The term of 
City officials was increased to two years. The charter was 
so drafted as to permit the interpretation that it included 
no provision for the registration of voters for the first elec- 
tion. Legal opinion was divided on the subject and the ques- 
tion was carried to the Supreme Court for decision. The 
decision was that an election would be legal. In the mean- 
time the districting of the city into 9 wards was accomplished. 
The new registration indicated a majority of 364 colored 
voters for the entire city. 

There were two tickets in the field for this election—one 
called the Citizens’ ticket with Frank W. Pope for Mayor, 
and the other the Composite ticket headed by C. B. Smith. 
There was no Democratic ticket. Supporting the ‘‘Com- 
posite” or Smith ticket were the Republicans and the large 
negro vote brought in with the absorption of the suburbs. 

The election was held December 13, 1887. Smith received 
an overwhelming majority, the vote being: Pope, 736; Smith, 
2,394. Of the 18 Aldermen elected with Smith, 13 were Re- 
publicans and five of these were negroes. 

The question of the legality of this election was immedi- 
ately revived and the matter was again carried to the Su- 
preme Court. Pending the decision a peculiar situation pre- 
vailed. The newly elected officials met and organized; but 
Mayor Burbridge and the old Council continued to function 
until March 28, 1888, when upon the decision of the Supreme 
Court they surrendered the government to the newly elected 
officials. 

In the Smith administration five Aldermen, the Municipal 
Judge, fifteen of the twenty-three Policemen, two Sergeants 
of Police, and the Chairman of the Board of Police Commis- 
sioners were negroes. 

This administration was entirely distasteful to the ma- 
jority of the white people of Jacksonville and it was fre- 


300 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


quently linked with the “carpet-bagger” regime of former 
days. During the yellow fever epidemic of 1888, the white 
portion of the city government only in part remained in Jack- 
sonville, which resulted in a great deal of inconvenience and 
embarrassment. Finally, with the charge that the existing 
municipal government had proven itself incapable of the 
functions necessary for a judicious administration of the 
City’s affairs, and that it was calculated to destroy the stand- 
ing and credit of Jacksonville as a municipality, the Demo- 
crats, supported morally it was said by conservative Repub- 
licans, applied to the Legislature for a change of charter 
designed to correct the evil complained of. The result was 
a drastic change in the charter, by which the election of all 
City officials by electors was abolished and the method 
changed to one of appointment. 


1889—Patrick McQuaid (Dem.) 

House Bill No. 4 (Chap. 3952) was approved May 16, 
1889. It provided for the appointment of the City Council 
of Jacksonville by the Governor, and when so appointed the 
Council became the appointing board for all of the other City 
officers including the Mayor. 

Under the provisions of House Bill No. 4, Governor 
Francis P. Fleming appointed a Council of 18 members, two 
from each ward as the city was then constituted. Eleven 
were Democrats and seven were Republicans as indicated in 
the following list: 


Ward 1—B. F. Dillon, (D)+ L. C. Emery (R) 
Ward 2—A. W. Cockrell, Jr. (D)+ C. W. Kinne (R)f 
Ward 38—Frederick Pasco (D)+ F, W. Mumby (D) 
Ward 4—D. U. Fletcher (D)+ C. S. Adams (R)f 
Ward 5—T. W. Roby (D)+ O. L. Keene (R) 
Ward 6—T. J. Boyd (D)+ J. W. Miller (R) 
Ward 7—J. H. Stephens (D)+ W. 


A. McDuff (R)+ 
scar Neunert (D)+ 
. Gerow (R) 


Ward 8—E. E. Belisario (D)f 
Ward 9—C. B. Rogers (D)¥+ 


UO: 
| 


Those marked (+) in the above list met at 3 p. m. June 
3d, and organized. D. U. Fletcher was unanimously elected 
President. Council then adjourned until 9 p. m. At the 
night session the name of Patrick McQuaid was put in nomi- 
nation for Mayor; he was unanimously elected to serve for 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 301 


two years. He was present at the time and immediately took 
the oath of office. 

The Cc :ncil proceeded with the other elections as fol- 
lows: W. C. West, Recorder; E. F. DeCottes, Comptroller ; 
W. A. Bisbee, Treasurer; S. Wiggins, Marshal; W. A. Mc- 
Lean, Municipal Judge; W. B. Young, George O. Holmes, 
H. 8. Ely, Board of Police Commissioners; J. C. L’Engle (3 
years), J. M. Schumacher (2 years), G. A. DeCottes (1 year), 
Board of Public Works. 

On the day following (June 4th) the new government 
assumed its duties. Several of the Republicans appointed by 
Governor Fleming failed to qualify and their places were 
later filled by other appointees. 

June 17,1890, Marshal Wiggins made a murderous assault 
on Mayor McQuaid and fled from the city. The Council 
offered a reward of $400 for his arrest. Several months later 
he was arrested, tried and acquitted; afterward he was again 
tried, convicted, and sentenced to pay a small fine. 

Harry Squires was appointed Marshal in Wiggins’s place. 
Squires absconded in December, 1890, with $1,400 of the 
city’s funds. He was never heard of afterward. J. A. Vin- 
zant was appointed to fill the vacancy. 


1891—Henry Robinson (Dem.) 

June 9th: The City Council met to elect city officers under 
the provisions of House Bill No. 4, which were still in force. 
C.S. Adams nominated J. C. Cooper for Mayor; J. H.Stephens 
nominated D. U. Fletcher. The result of the ballot was: 
Cooper, 10, Fletcher, 7. Notice of his election was given Mr. 
Cooper, but he declined the office. 


June 12th: Council met in special session to elect a Mayor. 
R. D. Knight nominated D. U. Fletcher; C. B. Rogers nomi- 
nated Henry Robinson. Ballot: Robinson, 10; Fletcher, 7. 
Dr. Robinson was sent for; he came before the Council that 
night and took the oath of office. 


1893—Duncan U. Fletcher (Dem.) 


The elective franchise was restored to the qualified elec- 
tors of the city at large by Senate Bill No. 3, approved May 


16, 1898. Primaries were held in the nine city wards early 


in July, and the general election on July 18th. The Austra- 
lian ballot was used in this election for the first time in Jack- 


302 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


sonville. There were two candidates for Mayor, both Demo- 
crats: D. U. Fletcher heading the “Straightouts” and M. A. 
Dzialynski the ‘‘Fusionists”. The election on July 18th re- 
sulted: Fletcher, 759; Dzialynski, 552. 


1895—William M. Bostwick (Dem.) 

Two months before the election of 1895 an association of 
citizens was formed with the object of building up a ticket 
that would harmonize the various political factions of the 
city. The conservative Republicans were affiliated with it 
and the negroes under the leadership of Joe Lee supported it. 
The choice of the association for Mayor was Dr. William M. 
Bostwick, an old and respected resident, life-long Democrat 
and an ex-Confederate. The regular or “Straightout” Demo- 
cratic nominee was Wiley G. Toomer. The Populists entered 
the contest under the name “Progressive”; its ticket was 
headed by Wm. Clarke. The election was held June 18th 
and resulted for Mayor: Bostwick, 1,517; Toomer, 1,184; 
Clarke, 88. 


1897—Raymond D. Knight (Dem.) 

This election was pointed out as being the most quiet 
and business-like of any municipal election in the history of 
the city—no bands and spell-binding speeches as formerly. 
Three Democratic tickets were advanced: Straightout headed 
by R. D. Knight; Business Men’s League, by J. G. Christo- 
pher; Young Men’s Liberal League, by Dr. W. McL. Dancy. 
At the request of Dr. Dancy the last withdrew just before 
the election. The election was held June 15th, and resulted 
for Mayor, R. D. Knight, 1,472; J. G. Christopher, 1,308. 

The other city officers were elected from both tickets, the 
Straightouts electing Treasurer, Comptroller, Marshal, four 
Election Commissioners and six Councilmen; the Business 
Men’s League, Municipal Judge, Recorder, and five Council- 
men, while the names of seven successful Councilmen and 
one Election Commissioner appeared on both tickets. 


1899-—J. E. T. Bowden (Dem.) 

June 8th: Primary. Terminating a bitter fight that 
started with five candidates in the field for Mayor, but nar- 
rowed down to two, the election resulted: J. E. T. Bowden 
(Dem.), 907; R. D. Knight (Dem.), 687. This was an in- 
formal primary and the first in the history of the city. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 308 


June 20th: General election: J. E. T. Bowden, 1,154; E. 
G. Blair (Ind.), 366; August Buesing, 17. 


1901—Duncan U. Fletcher (Dem.) 

The official Democratic primary plan was inaugurated 
with this election. 

First Primary, June 6th: D. U. Fletcher, 959; J. D. Bur- 
bridge, 425. 

General Election, June 18th: D. U. Fletcher, 1,271; I. 
Grunthal (Rep.), 625. 


1903—George M. Nolan (Dem.) 

First Primary, May 28th: J. E. T. Bowden, 830; J. D. 
Burbridge, 572; G. M. Nolan, 650; J. S. Hollingsworth, 225. 

Second Primary, June 3d: G. M. Nolan, 1,084; J. E. T. 
Bowden, 995. 

General Election, June 16th: G. M. Nolan,1,208; F. H. 
Barnard (Soc.), 487. 

The Socialists had a full ticket in the field; their maxi- 
mum strength was their vote for Mayor. 


1905—George M. Nolan (Dem.) 
1906—William H. Baker (Dem.) 

First Primary, June Ist: G. M. Nolan, 1,148; W. G. 
Toomer, 1,029; E. G. Blair, 243. 

Second Brians June 7th: G. M. att 1,203; W. G. 
Toomer, 1,166. 

General Election, June 20th: G. M. Naish 1,337 ; Thomas 
Hickling (Soc.), 136. 

The Socialists entered candidates for all municipal offices ; 
all were overwhelmingly defeated. 

Mayor G. M. Nolan died in office November 9, 1906. Judge 
W. H. Baker, president of the Council, was appointed to fill 
the vacancy. 


1907—William H. Sebring (Dem.) 

First Primary, May 7th: W. H. Sebring, 1,107; J. D. Bur- 
bridge, 879; W. B. Clarkson, 731. 

J. D. Burbridge withdrew from contest, making second 
primary for Mayor unnecessary. 

General Election, June 18th: W. H. Sebring, 1,627; 
Thomas Hickling (Soc.), 89. 

The Socialists entered candidates for the other city offices 
also, but their highest vote was 115. 


304 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1909—William S. Jordan (Dem.) 

First Primary, May 11th: W. S. Jordan, 1,481; W. H. 
Sebring, 1,214; G. T. Christie, 301. 

Second Primary, May 25th: W.S. Jordan, 1,644; W. H. 
Sebring, 1,320. 

General Election, June 15th: W. S. Jordan, 871; T. W. 
Cox (Soc.), 76. 

There were Socialist candidates for the other city offices, 
but none received as many as 100 votes. 


1911—William 8S. Jordan (Dem.) 

First Primary, April 18th: W. S. Jordan, 1,518; P. A. 
Dignan, 1,087; St. Elmo W. Acosta, 642; W. H. Sebring, 504. 

Second Primary, May 2d: W.S. Jordan, 2,857; P. A. Dig- 
nan, 1,478. 

General Election, June 20th: W. S. Jordan, 2,570; W. E. 
Alexander (Soc.), 537. 


1918—Van C. Swearingen (Dem.) 

First Primary, February 25th: Van C. Swearingen, 2,056; 
W.S. Jordan, 1,354; J. J. Ahern, 691; S. T. Shaylor, 267; G. T. 
Christie, 187. 

Second Primary, March 18th: Van C. Swearingen, 2,492; 
W.S. Jordan, 2,142. 

General Election, June 17th: Van C. Swearingen, 1,364; 
T. W. Cox (Soc.), 112. 


1915—-J. E. T. Bowden (Dem.) 

First Primary, January 26th: Van C. Swearingen, 1,541; 
J. E. T. Bowden, 1,360; C. W. Johnson, 1,123; Rudolph Grun- 
thal, 255. 

Second Primary, February 23d: J. E. T. Bowden, 2,655; 
Van C. Swearingen, 1,888. 

General Election, June 15th: J. E. T. Bowden, 2,172; I. 
C. Baldwin (Soc.), 758. 

The Socialists had candidates for the other city offices, 
but all were defeated by about seven to one majorities. 


1917—John W. Martin (Dem.) 

First Primary, February 6th: J. W. Martin, 2,890; J. E. 
T. Bowden, 2,056. 

Second primary for Mayor not necessary. 


General Election, June 19th: J. W. Martin elected with- 
out opposition. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 305 


1917—City Commission Created 

First Commissioners (all Democrats) appointed by City 
Council under provisions of new charter: For 4-year term, 
John §S. Bond, C. B. Rogers, John A. Futch; for 2-year term, 
Horace Drew, W. H. Dowling. 

Commission met July 3d and organized; J.S. Bond elected 
Chairman. 

Horace Drew resigned October, 1917; R. E. Wheeler 
appointed. 

W. H. Dowling resigned January, 1919; W. A. Evans 
appointed. 


1919—Commissioners (4 yrs.): Wm. A. Evans (Dem.), St. 
Elmo W. Acosta (Dem.) 
Mayor (2 yrs.): John W. Martin (Dem.) | 

First Primary, May 20th—Commissioners: St. E. W. 
Acosta, 1,485; J. T. Alsop, Jr., 1,452; C. T. Paxon, 1,292; 
W.A. Evans, 1,213; P. A. Dignan, 561; A. E. Adamson, 430. 

Second Primary, June 83d—Commissioner: W. A. Evans, 
1,659; St. E. W. Acosta, 1,650; J. T. Alsop, Jr., 1,479; C. T. 
Paxon, 1,401. 

General Election, June 17th: Evans and Acosta elected 
without opposition. 

Mayor: An amendment to city charter re-creating the 
office of Mayor carried by a vote For, 2,539; Against, 987, at 
the general election. It was stipulated that candidates for 
this office should run at this time and if the amendment car- 
ried the candidate receiving the greatest vote would be 
declared elected. There were two candidates, both Demo- 
crats, and the vote for Mayor was: John W. Martin, 2,349; 
J. KE. T. Bowden, 1,164. 


1921—Commissioners (4 yrs.): Frank H. Owen (Dem.) 
Mark B. Herlong (Dem.), Thomas C. Imeson (Dem.) 
Mayor (2 yrs.): John W. Martin (Dem.) 

First Primary, May 10th—Commissioner: T. C. Imeson, 
4,871; F. H. Owen, 4,318; M. B. Herlong, 4,219; Rudolph 
Grunthal, 3,559; G. E. Brown, 3,086; G. R. Paschal, 2,097; 
J. D. Burbridge, 1,881; D. A. Mayfield, 1,878; W. H. Herndon, 
1,865; Mrs. Florence M. Cooley, 1,854; R. E. Wheeler, 1,106. 

For Mayor: J. W. Martin, 8,409; J. E. Matthews, 2,207. 


306 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Second Primary, May 24th—Commissioner: F. H. Owen, 
5,848; M. B. Herlong, 5,816; T. C. Imeson, 5,764;G. E. Brown, 
3,828; R. Grunthal, 3,702; G. R. Paschal, 1,482. 

General Election, June 21st: Owen, Herlong and Imeson 
for Commissioners and Martin for Mayor elected without 
opposition. 

Negroes ran for Councilmen from Wards 6, 8, 9, 13, and 
two at large, but all were overwhelmingly defeated. 


1923—Commissioners (4 yrs.): St. Elmo W. Acosta (Dem.), 
Fred. M. Valz (Dem.). 
Mayor (2 yrs.): John T. Alsop, Jr. (Dem.) 

First Primary, April 17th—Commissioner: St. Elmo W. 
Acosta, 3,797; Fred M. Valz, 3,589; A. E. Adamson, 1,890; 
T. J. McGiffin, 1,836; J. H. Patterson, 1,517; W.T. Cowles, 970. 

For Mayor: John T. Alsop, Jr., 4,412; J. E. T. Bowden, 
2,725. 

Second Primary for Commissioners and Mayor unneces- 
sary. 

General Election, June 19th: Acosta, Valz, and Alsop 
elected without opposition. 


The Police Department 


The Marshal constituted the active police force of Jack- 
sonville in the days before the War Between the States. His 
duties were manifold and varied, for it was for him to see 
that all of the town ordinances were carried out and obeyed. 
He had the authority, nevertheless, to call upon any citizen 
of the town to help him when force was necessary, and a 
citizen refusing such assistance was liable to fine or impris- 
onment. The Marshal’s was a day-time job. At night after 
9 o’clock the Patrol went on duty in compliance with the 
Curfew Law. The Patrol consisted of two of the town’s 
citizens selected in their turn. The fire bell was rung every 
night at 9 o’clock as a signal for the negroes to be in their 
quarters. If found on the streets after that hour, or out of 
bounds, without a written pass signed by their owners, or if 
free negroes, without a legitimate reason, they were arrested 
by the Patrol and locked up for the night to be taken before 
the Intendant (Mayor) the next morning for trial. Usually 
the owner paid the small fine; it was only for the most serious 
offenses that the slave was whipped, and usually by his owner. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 307 


The town had no regular whipping-post, where the slave was 
beaten into unconsciousness and left with his head hanging 
upon his chest to be viewed by the passing residents. All 
that sort of thing is fiction. The negro was property in those 
days and to maim or injure him bodily was not the purpose 
of the punishment. That there were cruel masters there is 
no doubt, but they were no more representative of the slave- 
holding Southerner than the cruel parent is of the American 
people today. The town, however, did possess a pillory and 
stocks outfit for white thieves, but its use was seldom needed 
as there was little thieving in those days. On the rare occa- 
sions when it was used the culprit was never known to remain 
in the community afterward. 

Every citizen of age, excepting clergymen and doctors, 
was subject to Patrol duty. An exemption for one time could 
be obtained by the payment of $3 and providing a substitute, 
but not twice in succession. Midnight usually found the 
Patrol slumbering serenely in their homes. The negroes cor- 
rupted Patrol into “patteroller”, and a familiar medley 
among them was: 

Run, nigger, run, the patteroller’ll ketch yer, 
Run, nigger, run, it’s almost day; 

I run, an’ I run, till I los’ my way; 

I run, an’ I run, an’ I run my bes’, 

Till I run my head in a hornet’s nes’. 


In the beginning the Marshal received oniy fees for his 
services, but later, in the 1850’s, he was allowed a specific 
salary besides, to wit: Annual salary, $150; of taxes collected, 
5% ; of money collected for swimming or flatting cattle across 
the St. Johns River, 5%; of fines collected, 50%; and allowed 
the same costs as a constable. 

The names of only a few Marshals before the war have 
been found. One of them was a hero; his name was Yeomens. 

It was in the 1840’s, when two men from Tallahassee came 
to Jacksonville and started in to paint the town red. They 
put a beam under the market building and turned it over on 
its side, then started in for a high time in general. Yeomans, 
the Marshal, ran to his home, buckled on his big sabre, and 
with a belt full of pistols swore he would arrest the two men 
or lose his life in the attempt. McMullen and Bryant, the 
men from Tallahassee, heard of this threat and went in 
search of the Marshal. Yeomans was standing in the door- 


308 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


way of a billiard room when McMullen and Bryant appeared 
and without warning shot him down with a load of buckshot. 
A bystander named Huffham, who was inside the building, 
rushed to the aid of Yeomans and was also shot down. ‘Yeo- 
mens died, but Huffham recovered. Bryant escaped. Mc- 
Mullen was captured and put in jail in Tallahassee. His 
mother was allowed to visit him in jail and on one of these 
visits she and her son exchanged clothing and McMullen 
walked out and escaped. Neither Bryant nor McMullen was 
ever brought to trial, and one of them afterward came to 
Jacksonville and made this his home. 

After the war Jacksonville was continuously occupied by 
Federal troops until April, 1869. In this period, while there 
seems to have been a sort of civilian police patrol, the mili- 
tary Provost Marshal and Guard were really in charge of the 
town and it was not until the second term of Mayor Hopkins, 
in 1869, that police protection became altogether a civilian 
matter. Until 1888 the Marshal was the head of the Police 
Department; his services, however, included duties connected 
with nearly every department of the town government. In 
1871, the position of Captain of Police was created. This 
officer was directly in charge of the police force. The Marshal 
was elected yearly by the electors, and the Captain of Police 
was appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Council. 


List of Marshals and Captains of Police 


Mayor in Marshal Capt. of Police 
Office. (Elected) (Appointed) 

1869—Hopkins W..’S:: Rawsonye |) ee 
1870—Jones RP. Moody oai4 yi a a 
1871—Jones R. P. Moody I. N. Divine 
1872—Jones EK. Fortunet I. N. Divine 
1873—-Greeley E. Fortune} James Hoey 
1874—Jones EK. Fortunet James Hoey 
1875—Jones John Tyler James Hoey 
1876—McConihe John Tyler James Hoey 
1877—Boyd P. E. McMurray W. S. Rawson 
1878—-McConihe G. H. Mays} W. S. Rawson 
1879—Jones G. H. Mays} W. C. Cooper 
1880—Dey G. H. Mayst W. C. Cooper 
1881—Dzialynski G. H. Mays} John Tyler 
1882—-Dzialynski John Tyler W. D. Vinzant 
1883—Dancy John Tyler W. D. Vinzant 
1884—-Dancy W. D. Vinzant John Tyler 
1885—Rice W. D. Vinzant W. F. Ivers 
1886—McQuaid John Tyler John Keefe 
1887—Burbridge T. B. Hernandez G. M. Brittain 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 309 


The charter of 1887 created the Board of Police Commis- 
sioners and the designation Captain of Police was changed 
to Chief of Police. The office of Marshal was retained, but 
the duties were more of a civil nature and not immediately 
associated with the Police Department. The operation of 
the Police Department under the new charter began in April, 
1888, when James Hoey was appointed the first Chief of 
Police. At this time the Police Department was virtually 
under the control of negroes and it was a situation that had 
a great deal to do with the legislation of 1889 known as 
House Bill No. 4, by which the Police Department for the 
first time since the war became entirely white. The Police 
Commissioners appointed under the provisions of House Bill 
No. 4 appointed Paul G. Phillips Chief of Police. Jackson- 
ville’s present Police Department really dates from that time, 
June, 1889. 

On October 19, 1895, the first patrol wagon was put into 
use. It was drawn by Mary and Martha, two fine black 
mares. This wagon was used until August, 1897, when “Black | 
Maria” was revived and put into service. 


*“Black Maria” was bought by the Police Commissioners 
in 1891. It was built to be pulled by one horse, but at that 
time the only paving was the old worn-out cypress blocks and 
it was found that the wagon was entirely too heavy for the 
work. It was never used to haul a prisoner to the police sta- 
tion and the only time it had ever been seen on the streets was 
when it was bought and Chief Phillips drove it on Bay Street 
one day and then put it away in the City Building at the foot 
of Market Street, where it remained for years entirely forgot- 
ten. “Black Maria” was fitted up and covered and put into 
service August 18, 1897. 


The first auto patrol was put into use in 1911. The first 
mounted police was a bicycle squad that went on duty Sep- 
tember 5,1897. The first regular traffic squad at street inter- 
sections went on duty October 1, 1919. The signal lights at 
street intersections were first used in August, 1924. The 
Police pension law was passed by the Florida Legislature 
in 1915. 

After the War Between the States and until 1876, Police 
Headquarters was in the little brick building that blocked 
the foot of Newnan Street. The Department then moved to 
a building in the rear of the County courthouse on East For- 


310 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


syth Street; thence to the foot of Pine (Main) Street, and 
finally to the east side of Ocean Street between Bay and 
Forsyth. It remained there until December, 1890, when it 
was moved to a warehouse that had been fixed up for its 
occupancy at the foot of Liberty Street. In April, 1900, the 
City bought the old Togni hotel property near the southwest 
corner of Forsyth and Newnan Streets facing Newnan and 
converted it into a police station; the Department was moved 
there in April, 1900. This building was burned in the fire of 
May 8, 1901. After the fire the Department occupied a 
wooden building near the Union Depot, formerly used as a 
negro boarding house, and it remained at this location until 
April 26, 1902, when it occupied its present station rebuilt 
after the fire on the former site, to which the southwest cor- 
ner of Forsyth and Newnan, comprising about 52 feet, had in 
the meantime been added by purchase. This property was 
sold to S. A. Lynch June 20, 1924, for $90,000, the agreement 
containing a time clause to enable the city to select and build 
upon another site. 

Raspberry Park was a name familiar for a long time in 
connection with the Police Department. It was located on 
Hogans Creek between Julia and Cedar Streets and was the 
home for the City’s convicted prisoners. Its history may 
well be omitted here. The Board of Bond Trustees, realizing 
that the conditions under which city prisoners were being 
handled was the worst possible method, in April, 1912, pur- 
chased 640 acres about seven miles north of the city, ditched 
and drained the tract, and converted it into the present City 
Prison Farm. 

Chiefs of the Jacksonville Police Department: James 
Hoey, April 5, 1888, to June, 1889; Paul G. Phillips, June, 
1889, to July, 1892; John Keefe, July, 1892, to February, 
1894; Paul G. Phillips, February, 1894, to May, 1895; John 
Keefe, June, 1895, to July, 1897; W. F. Ivers, July, 1897, to 
January, 1898; W. D. Vinzant, February, 1898, to April, 
1913; F. C. Roach, May, 1913, to March, 1921; W. D. Vinzant, 
April to June, 1921 (temporarily recalled from retirement) ; 
A. J. Roberts, July, 1921 to date. 


Fire Department 


In the original charter of the Town of Jacksonville was 
a provision pertaining to sweeping chimneys and other safe- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 311 


guards against fire, and among the earliest ordinances of the 
Town Council were those fixing severe penalties for careless- 
ness in the use of fire. About 1850 the first effort was made 
to provide means for fighting fires in the town. Wells were 
dug at street intersections, namely Forsyth and Washington, 
Forsyth and Newnan, and Newnan and Adams. The town 
fire bell hung from a tower built over the well at Newnan 
and Adams Streets. Ladders were kept under sheds near 
the wells. Upon the discovery of fire the citizen rushed to 
the middle of the street and headed for the fire bell, yelling 
“Fire” at the top of his voice at every jump. The clanging 
of the fire bell brought out the entire male population of the 
town and a line was formed to pass buckets of water from 
the nearest well to the burning building; Bay Street received 
its supply from the river. Usually one man assumed the role 
of director and gave the orders, which amounted to “Water, 
water; hurry up there, more water’. Not long after the 
wells were provided, the first fire apparatus was acquired; it 
was a water pump worked by handles on each side, negroes 
furnishing the power. In the big fire of April 1854, quoting 
from a local newspaper of the time, the ‘fire apparatus un- 
fortunately fell into a situation which brought it into contact 
with the flames, and it was lost’. So ended the history of 
Jacksonville’s first fire “engine”. There was no organized 
fire-fighting force in Jacksonville before the War Between 
the States. 

On January 10, 1868, a volunteer company, called the 
Friendship Hook and Ladder Company, was organized to af- 
ford protection to the town in case of fire. This was Jack- 
sonville’s first organized fire company. The Mechanics 
Steam Fire Engine Company was organized February 3, 
1870, and soon afterward the Aetna Steam Fire Engine Com- 
pany supplanted the old Friendship Company. Four other 
companies were organized in 1870, making six in all, and 
these composed the Jacksonville Volunteer Fire Department, 
which early in 1871 was officered as follows: 

Chief Engineer, A. J. Russell. 
First Assistant, Theo. H. Willard. 

Aetna Steam Fire Engine Company, J. J. Holland, Foreman. 

Mechanics Steam Fire Engine Company, T. E. Buckman, Foreman. 

Alert Hose Company, Byron Oak, Foreman. 

Phoenix Hose Company, H. A. L’Engle, Foreman. 


Americus Hook and Ladder Company, J. Marzyck, Foreman. 
Mechanics Hose Company, William Marzyck, Foreman. 


312 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The foregoing includes the names of some of Jackson- 
ville’s foremost citizens. A number of these companies de- 
veloped considerable political influence; at one time the 
Mayor, Chief of Police, Marshal, and several City Aldermen 
held membership in the Mechanics, and it is said owed their 
political positions to that fact. In social life several of the 
companies held the highest place, and their annual hops were 
considered the most important social function of the year. 
When the fire department gave its annual parade, it was wit- 
nessed by the entire population of the town. The make-up 
of one of these (in 1882) was: 


Americus Hook and Ladder Company; 16 men; uniforms, red shirts, 
green helmets, and black pantaloons; they drew a fine new truck. 

Mechanics Steam Fire Engine and Hose Company; 22 men; uni- 
forms, red shirts, red helmets, and black panatloons; brightly polished 
Silsby engine and hose jumper. 

Jacksonville Cornet Band, 12 pieces. 

Alert Hose Company; 14 men; uniforms, blue shirts, red helmets, 
and black pantaloons. 

Aetna Hose Company; 16 men; they drew a new Silsby hose car- 
riage. 

Duval Fire Engine and Hose Company (colored); 22 men; uni- 
forms, red shirts, red helmets, and red pantaloons; they drew an old- 
fashioned hand engine and nearly new hose jumper. 


On account of the failure of the city to provide proper 
quarters for some of the fire companies, interest in the or- 
ganization began to wane. In September, 1883, the Americus 
Company threatened to disband and did withdraw for two 
months. On January 6, 1884, the Alert Company was dis- 
banded by the City Council for the refusal of the company 
to respond to a fire call, but within a week the Cleveland 
Hose Company was organized and took over the apparatus 
of the Alert Company. An effort was then made to increase 
interest in the department by putting it on a partially paid 
basis, and by providing more satisfactory quarters, and there 
was to a certain extent a revival of interest, until a disas- 
trous fire in December 1885, showed plainly that the time had 
come for a regularly organized paid department. 

After weeks of discussion the City Council, on May 4, 
1886, authorized the establishment of a paid fire department. 
A Board of Fire Commissioners was constituted, a special 
tax levy of 5 mills was authorized to perfect the establish- 


Sa 


=. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 313 


ment of a paid department, and the reorganization was ac- 
complished on July 16, 1886. Thus passed out of existence — 
the volunteer fire department of Jacksonville, an organiza- 
tion so intimately associated with the life and history of the 
city, that the citizens really regretted to see it go. The 
Mechanics Company, however, maintained its organization 
separately, and volunteered its services whenever there were 
serious fires; upon these occasions, as the company came up 
on the run, the spectators waved their hats and cheered with 
the enthusiasm of former days. The old bell in the hall of 
the Mechanics, on the north side of Adams Street, between 
Main and Laura, spoke to the men of the company for the 
last time at 1:20 a.m., August 18, 1891, when they were 
called out on the big fire that swept up Main Street that night. 
They placed their engine at the foot of Main Street and saved 
the property on Bay. Their hall was burned; after the fire 
they sold their engine to the city, and disbanded. 

It would seem that the Fire Commissioners made rather 
a peculiar selection when they appointed Peter Jones the 
first chief of the paid department, for Peter Jones was known 
as the “Carpet-bagger’’ Mayor of Jacksonville, which office 
he had held six terms; and there was decided objection to 
the appointment at the time. 

The first call of the new department was on July 21, 
1886—it was a false alarm. The first actual fire call came in 
on August 10. The first Gamewell Fire Alarm system was in- 
stalled in August, 1886. Increase in territory, provided by 
the charter of 1887, necessitated a great extension of water 
mains, many new hydrants and much additional apparatus. 
Since then, from time to time, further extensions have been 
made, and numerous hydrants installed to meet the growing 
needs of the city. 

The paid department, after its establishment in 1886, 
comprised a central station and three sub-stations; their lo- 
cations then and subsequent changes were: 


No. 1 (Central Station)—South side of Forsyth Street 
between Ocean and Newnan; moved to its own building, 
northwest corner of Ocean and Adams Streets, September 
21, 1897; burned out in the fire of May 3, 1901; rebuilt on 
same site and occupied February 1, 1902. 

No. 2—West side of Main Street between Church and 
Ashley ; moved in 1898 to west side of Main Street between 


314 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


State and Orange; burned out in the fire of May 3, 1901; re- 
built on same site; moved April 28, 1909, to southeast corner 
of 4th and Main Streets, Springfield. 

No. 3—E. Bay Street between Washington and Catherine; 
moved to E. Bay near Railroad Avenue; burned out in the 
fire of May 3, 1901; rebuilt on its present site, 14 Catherine 
Street, and occupied March 4, 1902. 

No. 4—East side of Bridge (Broad) Street, near north- 
east corner of Adams; moved October 1, 1896, to its present 
location on the south side of Adams Street between Broad 
and Jefferson; was not burned out in 1901. 

No. 5—Established in January, 1897, in a neat frame 
building on Riverside Avenue, at the head of Forest Street; 
rebuilt as a brick station in 1908. 

No. 6—Established June 30, 1907, on east side of Florida 
Avenue between Union and Pippin Streets. 

No. 7—Established July 1, 1911, on south side of Kings 
Road between Davis and Johnson Streets. 

No. 8—Established in April, 1923, at the northeast cor- 
ner of Rossell and Stockton Streets, Riverside. 

High pressure system, protecting business district, in- 
augurated December 20, 1909; station at the foot of Newnan 
Street. 

First auto equipment, combination chemical and hose ap- 
paratus, put into service May 2, 1912. Aerial motor truck, 
September, 1912. 

Two platoon system effective January 6, 1920. 

Fireboat John B. Callahan, named for the councilman 
who had fought a losing fight for it in 1914, was officially 
accepted by the city September 14, 1922. It was converted 
from a Government sub-chaser. 

The Florida Legislature of 1915 authorized pensions for 
city firemen for superannuation or disability in service. 

Chiefs of the Jacksonville Fire Department: Peter Jones, 
July, 1886, to his death January 22, 1891; he was succeeded 
by J. H. Stephens, who resigned in 1892. The present chief, 
T. W. Haney, assumed his duties September 5, 1892. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 315 


_ CHAPTER XVII 


PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS 
Changes in Town and City Limits 


1822, June. (As originally surveyed). Boundaries: East, 
Catherine Street; North, Duval Street; West, Ocean Street; 
South, St. Johns River. 


1832, February: (Incorporation). Beginning at a point 
on the South bank of the River St. Johns, opposite Hogans 
Creek, on the North side, running North half a mile up said 
Creek; thence West one mile and a half to McCoys Creek; 
thence South to a point on the South side of the River St. 
Johns, opposite McCoys Creek; thence East to the point of 
beginning. 


1837, January: Boundaries changed. Beginning at the 
mouth of McCoys Creek on the St. Johns River, running 
thence up said Creek to a point where John W. Richard’s 
fence joined said Creek; thence in a North course to the first 
branch North of the Kings Road leading to St. Marys; 
thence down said branch to Hogans Creek; thence down said 
Creek to the mouth where it empties into the St. Johns River; 
thence across said river to the South side; thence up the 
South side of said river to Hendricks’ Point; thence across 
St. Johns River to the mouth of McCoys Creek aforesaid. 


1841, February: The boundaries of the town were re- 
duced to identically the same limits as in the original incor- 
poration of 18382. 


1842, March: Limits extended. Beginning at a point on 
the South bank of the St. Johns River directly South from 
the mouth of Hogans Creek, thence North to the mouth of 
Hogans Creek aforesaid; thence along said creek, ascending 
with the meanders of the South branch of said creek to a 
point near the public road, called the Kings Road, where said 
creek takes a direction from nearly Southwest (Southeast) 
to nearly Northwest (Northeast) ;from said bend? by a direct 
line in nearly a Southeasterly direction to the mouth of Mc- 





*This bend was near the intersection of the present Broad and Beaver Streets; the 
south branch of Hogans Creek was filled in years ago and does not now appear on the 
map of the city. 


316 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Coys Creek; thence across the St. Johns River by a direct line 
to Hendricks’ Point; thence Eastwardly along the bank of 
St. Johns River to the point of beginning. 


1887, June: City limits extended. Towns of LaVilla and 
Fairfield abolished, the limits of Jacksonville, as extended, 
including them. The official description of the limits was in 
terms of surveyors’ measurements, and unintelligible to the 
average layman. Approximately the line ran from a point 
on the East edge of the river channel West to 13th Street in 
Fairfield; thence West following the line of 18th Street 414 
miles to a point where the West line of North LaVilla S/D 
joined the South line of Grand Boulevard S/D; thence South 
1% mile to a point 600 feet South of Kings Road; thence West 
to the Atlantic Coast Line tracks; thence South in a straight 
line 334, miles to the bank of the St. Johns River at a point 
near and East of the foot of Donald Street ; continuing thence 
to the East edge of the river channel; thence down channel 
to the point of beginning. As thus defined, Jacksonville em- 
braced 1014, square miles of land area. 


1919, December: Boundaries of Jacksonville extended. 
(For exact description see Ordinance P-18, Bill P-40). Ap- 
proximately the line is: Beginning at a point on the West 
edge of the St. Johns River Channel, thence Northwesterly 
along the Northeast line of Arden S/D to the center of Little 
Fishweir Creek; thence up said Creek to a point 155 feet 
Northerly of the center of Herschell Street; thence North- 
easterly parallel to Herschell Street to a point 130 feet West 
of Talbot Avenue; thence directly North cutting diagonally 
across Avondale S/D to a point 180 feet West of McDuff Ave- 
nue and continuing North, parallel to McDuff Avenue, to the 
track of the St. Johns Terminal Company one mile north of 
the Seaboard Shops; thence East to the Atlantic Coast Line 
tracks and continuing East 14 mile along the line of the old 
city limits to a point about 600 feet South of Kings Road; 
thence North 14 mile along the old city limits to the South 
line of Grand Boulevard S/D and continuing North through 
Grand Boulevard S/D to a point 100 feet north of 21st Street; 
thence East parallel to 21st Street to a point 100 feet West of 
Myrtle Avenue; thence North parallel to Myrtle Avenue to 
33d Street; thence East, South of the Municipal Golf Course 
and State Fair Grounds, to Brentwood Avenue; thence North- 
easterly and then Southeasterly following the line of Brent- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 317 


wood S/D and including that sub-division, and continuing 
Southeasterly to the Cemetery Road where it joins Main 
Street; thence along the Southern side and following that 
side of Cemetery Road to Talleyrand Avenue and back on 
Talleyrand Avenue to the center of Long Branch; thence 
down said Branch to the East edge of river channel; thence 
up said channel to the point of beginning. The land area em- 
braced within these limits is 15% square miles. 


City Bond Issues 


1857—$50,000 Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Railroad 
Bonds.—In 1855 the question of bonding the Town of Jack- 
sonville for $50,000 to assist in financing the building of the 
railroad from Jacksonville to Alligator Town (now Lake 
City) was suggested. To test the sense of the voters upon 
the matter, an election was held May 15, 1855, and resulted: 
“For”, 97; “Against”, 65; “Taxation”, 1. The bonds were 
authorized and issued January 1, 1857, one-half payable in 
10 years, and the remaining half in 15 years, interest at 8 
per cent. These were Jacksonville’s first bonds. After the 
War Between the States, the citizens of Jacksonville were 
called upon to decide whether these bonds should be repudi- 
ated; impoverished as they were, they decided to carry the 
issue to preserve the standing of the town. On December 11, 
1866, the Legislature authorized the City of Jacksonville to 
issue new bonds to the amount of $30,000 to take care of the 
first installment of the “Old Railroads” and the accrued in- 
terest. It was not until about 1877, after the City govern- 
ment had passed from the control of the “Carpet-baggers”’ 
to that of the home people that these bonds were called in, 
little by little, and retired. In 1883, only $12,400 face value 
remained outstanding; these were retired in the three or 
four following years. 


1878—$250,000 Sanitary Improvement Bonds.—This is- 
sue was a direct result of the yellow fever epidemic of 1877, 
when the people became aroused to the necessity of better 
sanitation, and the establishment of waterworks and sewer- 
age systems in Jacksonville. On January 15, 1878, $250,000, 
20-year, 8 per cent bonds were issued. These were called the 
Sanitary Bonds. The expenditure of the money was placed 
in the hands of a Board called the Sanitary Bond Trustees, 
composed of five prominent citizens, namely: A. 8S. Baldwin, 


318 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Dr. T. Hartridge, J. J. Daniel, S. B. Hubbard, and M. W. Drew. 
The money provided by this issue was used in a thorough 
cleaning-up of the vicinity; filling in and disinfecting low 
places, drainage, improvement of Hogans and McCoys 
Creeks, establishing the present waterworks and construct- 
ing a system of sewers. The interest on the bonds was met 
by special tax levy, and small payments were made from time 
to time on the principal. In this way $50,000 worth of bonds 
were retired. In the bond issue of 1894, there was a pro- 
vision for the redemption of all outstanding Sanitary Bonds, 
and the last of them were called in and paid August 16, 1895. 


1894—$1,000,000 Waterworks and Improvement Bonds. 
—On May 30, 1898, the Legislature authorized an issue of 
$1,000,000 Waterworks and Improvement bonds of the City 
of Jacksonville. The issue was approved by the voters Oc- 
tober 17, 1898, specifically as follows: 


$200,000 for the redemption of outstanding Sanitary Bonds 

225,000 for extending and improving the waterworks system. 
175,000 for extending and improving sewerage and drainage. 
175,000 for opening and improving streets and parks. 
100,000 for purchasing location and erecting city building. 

75,000 for erecting electric light plant. 

25,000 for bulkheading street fronts. 

25,000 for enlarging fire department. 


This was Jacksonville’s first bond issue for general city 
improvements. Considerable annoyance and delay in vali- 
dating certain of these bonds resulted from injunctions 
brought by private corporations that would be affected by 
the improvements. Of the authorized issue, $972,000 was 
used. They were 30-year, 5% bonds, dated May 15, 1894, 
and maturing May 15, 1924. Bonds of this issue, amounting 
to $38,500, were retired before maturity, and the remainder 
at maturity. 


1901—$400,000 Improvement (Fire) Bonds.—Authorized 
May 30, 1901; issued November 15, 1901, 5%, maturing May 
15, 1924. This issue was the outgrowth of the fire of May 8, 
1901, and was used in paying judgments against the city; 
for the construction of public buildings destroyed by the fire, 
and replacements for municipal plants. Bonds of this issue 
paid before maturity, $4,000; balance paid at maturity 
through a refunding issue of April, 1924. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 319 


Tabulation of Outstanding Bonds7 
Date Issued Outstanding 


Amount Dec.31,1924 Due Int. Purpose of Issue. 
Jan. 1, 1906 $ 400,000 1986 5 Municipal Improvements 
$400,000 and Park Lands. 
Oct. 1, 1910 100,000 1986 5 Paving. 
.$100,000 
Nov. 1, 1911 220,000 1986 4% #.Municipal Improvements 
$250,000 and Park Lands. 
Feb. 1, 1912 250,000 1987 4% °#®Paving and Park Lands. 
$250,000 
Mar. 1, 1918 1,889,000 1943 4% #$Municipal Docks and 
$1,428,000 Terminals. 
Nov. 1, 1915 250,000 1945 5 Sewers and Drains. 
$250,000 
Feb. 1, 1916 248,000 1946 44% Sewers and Paving. 
$250,000 
Sep. 1, 1919 600,000 1949 65 Sewers, Paving and Viaduct. 
$600,000 
Apr. 1, 1921 1,000,000 1981 5 Municipal Improvements 
$1,000,000 and Paving. 
Apr. 1, 1921 1,000,000 19381 5 Municipal Docks and 
$1,000,000 Terminals. 
Sep. 1, 1923 400,000 5 Incinerator, Paving, 
$ 25,000 1925 Sewers and Drains. 
25,000 1926 
25,000 1927 
25,000 1928 
50,000 1938 
50,000 1938 
100,000 1948 
100,000 1948 
Apr. 15 1924 400,000 1954 6 Refunding (issue of 1901). 
$400,000 





$6,207,000 





Total outstanding General Issues. 


Special paving, sidewalk and improvement bonds fully secured by 
liens against property affected: Total outstanding December 31, 1924, 


$1,918,000. 


Total bonded indebtedness, all classes, $8,125,000. 





+Data furnished by J. E. Pace, City Auditor. 


320 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


City Taxes 

Jacksonville operates on the budget system. The ex- 
penses for the year are estimated; the expected revenues 
are deducted, and the balance is supplied by the taxpayers 
within the city limits. Property is assessed at a certain per- 
centage of its market value; from the roll so determined by 
the Tax Assessor, the City Council makes up a tax levy suf- 
ficient to meet the expected balance. The tax levies, in mills, 
since 1885, have been as follows: 


1885 20.00 1895 15.80 1905 16.10 1915 12.80 
1886 25.00 1896 14.75 1906 16.10 1916 12.80 
1887 23.00 1897 18.00 1907 16.10 1917 15.50 
1888 28.00 1898 15.00 1908 17.10 1918 13.80 
1889 16.25 1899 15.20 1909 15.00 1919 18.00 
1890 11.00 1900 16.00 1910 15.00 1920 17.00 
1891 16.50 1901 16.00 1911 17.00 1921 21.00 
1892 15.20 1902 16.00 1912 rh b0 1922 20.90 
1893 138.80 1908 16.20 19138 11.80 1923 22.90 
1894 11.80 1904 16.20 1914 138.80 1924 21.90 
Waterworks 


There being no suitable spring or stream near the city 
from which to obtain a supply of good water for the estab- 
lishment of the waterworks system, provided for in the Sani- 
tary Bond issue, exploration for water from underground 
sources was begun August 1, 1878. The point selected was 
on low ground in the suburb then known as “Springfield,” 
on the north side of Hogans Creek, west of Pine (Main) 
Street. Two-inch pipes were driven at different places in the 
locality, to a depth of 30 to 88 feet and tried with hand 
pumps; these showed considerable water at 30 feet below 
the surface. These experiments being considered satisfac- 
tory, 514 acres of land (now Waterworks park), were pur- 
chased for $3300. Dr. J. A. Cloud of Philadelphia, was 
awarded a contract for establishing the waterworks, a sys- 
tem of sewers, and other public work. The plans contem- 
plated a reservoir built down to rock bottom, and work on it 
was begun July 16, 1879. During the progress of the exca- 
vating work, a number of subterranean streams were opened. 
The reservoir was carried down to a depth of 31 feet; it was 
48 feet in diameter at the bottom and 51 feet at the surface. 
The walls were bricked, and pipes were built-in to bring in 
water from the subterranean streams intersected. When 
completed, the depth of water in the reservoir averaged 27 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 321 


feet, and the amount 375,000 gallons. The well was pro- 
tected by an octagon building; the pump house was built 
of gray Florida brick with stone trimmings. The pumping 
machinery comprised two Worthington Duplex engines with 
a capacity of 1,500,000 gallons daily. The waterworks as 
thus constructed was accepted by the Sanitary Bond Trustees 
July 6, 1880, and Dr. Cloud was paid $89,725, in Sanitary 
Bonds, for the job. 

The original system was in use until the fall of 1882, 
when there was an irruption of salt water into the streams 
supplying the reservoir, and the water became unfit for use. 
It was then found necessary to look elsewhere for a supply 
until a better solution could be reached. A temporary supply 
was obtained by throwing a dam across Hogans Creek, 500 
yards above the plant, opposite Hansontown, and water from 
the pond thus created, was conveyed to the reservoir by 
means of a trunk 10x20 inches, constructed of 2-inch plank, 
and which was provided with a series of filters. At the 
same time the lateral pipes in the reservoir were sealed. 
The existence of numerous springs in the “valley” of the 
north branch of Hogans Creek induced further explorations 
for underground water, and by sinking wells to a depth of 75 
feet, flowing wells were produced. This water was directed 
into the creek to augment the volume for use at the water- 
works. The water was generally considered unfit for drink- 
ing purposes, and the residents of Jacksonville, after a great 
deal of complaint, went back to the old system of cisterns 
and surface wells for drinking water. 

Explorations for underground water closer to the water- 
works plant were started in 1884. <A 4-inch well was driven 
to 490 feet and it produced a flow of 180 gallons a minute. 
As soon as this well was finished, a 6-inch well was started 
and carried down to 637 feet, producing a flow of 650 gallons 
aminute. The amount of water now procured was considered 
sufficient for the needs of the town at the time, and on No- 
vember 24, 1885, the creek supply was shut off and the ar- 
tesian water turned into the reservoir. On March 12, 1886, 
another 6-inch well was completed near the plant. The total 
flow from the three wells at that time was 2,400,000 gallons 
daily. A large fire in the down-town district in March, 1888, 
resulted in draining the reservoir of its water supply, and this 
fact led to the sinking of a fourth well, which was driven toa 


$22 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


depth of 1020 feet and produced a fiow of 3,350,000 gallons 
daily; this was a 10-inch well, completed in June, 1889. 
About this time private corporations began to sink wells in 
different localities, and it was noticed that in each case there 
was a reduction in the flow at the waterworks, besides a 
natural gradual decrease. ‘he decrease in the original flow 
had reached 50% when the fifth well was driven at 7th and 
Silver Streets, about ten years later. Subsequent history 
of the water supply is the same—a gradual decrease, due to 
increasing consumption, and a slow natural exhaustion, 
which has been compensated by sinking more wells, until 
now (1924), there are 15 wells in use, producing a fiow of 
13,000,000 gallons daily. 

The first structural improvements at the plant were made 
in 1896, when the pumping station was enlarged somewhat, 
whereupon portions of the old walis were torn out and the 
brick used in the construction of an aerating basin 50 feet 
in diameter and 5 feet deep. In 1897 the Sub-Tropical Exposi- 
tion building was removed, and on the site near the northeast 
corner of the waterworks grounds a reservoir 200x160 feet 
and 13 feet deep was constructed, having a capacity of 2,400,- 
000 galions. This reservoir was covered over a year or So ago. 
In July, 1905, the City bought the land between Main and 
Laura Streets, north of Orange, and in the southwest corner 
of the plot built a covered reservoir with a capacity of 3,000,- 
000 gallons, completed in 1911, at a cost of $54,000. 

In the beginning the waterworks did not pay expenses, 
but it gradually became selt-supporting, and is now a valu- 
able income producing pliant for the City. 


Big Jim and Old Joe 


*Big Jim is the chime whistle at the waterworks and Old 
Joe was a 10-foot alligator whose home was a small artificial 
pond in the waterworks grounds. 

Big Jim was the invention of John Hinig of Jacksonville, 
who made it with his own hands out of sheet copper. It was 
installed at the waterworks in the early 1890’s with a Trades 
Council ceremony. It was named “Big Jim” in honor of “Jim” 
Patterson, brother-in-law of the inventor. Mr. Einig after- 
ward secured a patent on this style of whistle. Although parts 
of the whistle have been replaced, most of the original metal 
is still in use, and the pattern has not been changed. 

Old Joe’s early history will never be known. His first ap- 
pearance in Jacksonville was as an attraction at the Sub-Trop- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 323 


ical Exposition in 1887, where he became a celebrity that often 
figured in prose and poetry written by tourists from every- 
where. He continued to be an attraction at the waterworks 
plant for many years, until one day word was spread that Old 
Joe was dead. Big Jim had lost a life-time companion, but 
Old Joe’s hide was stuffed and placed in the waterworks build- 
ing beneath the friend that had spoken to him daily in life, and 
which he seemed to have grown to know and understand. 


Electric Lights 


Electricity for lighting purposes was introduced into 
Jacksonville in 1883, when J. R. Campbell installed a plant 
to light the St. James Hotel. 

In the latter part of 1884, H. Wadsworth came to Jack- 
sonville for the purpose of installing a system of electric 
lights. In order to warrant him in establishing the plant, 
he required 50 subscribers; he soon had the required number 
and 10 more. Just as he was ready to proceed with the erec- 
tion of the plant, he soid out to a stock company, afterward 
known as the Jacksonville Electric Light Company. The 
plant was erected under Wadsworth’s supervision and lights 
were turned on in the stores on Bay Street, east of Ocean, 
January 10, 1885. In the same year (1885), Dr. J. A. Cloud, 
who had originally built the waterworks, started the erection 
of a plant for the purpose of lighting hotels and private 
houses by electricity. His lights were turned on January 
19, 1886. He sold his plant to the Citizens Gas Light Com- 
pany of Jacksonviile, May 27, 1886. 

The City Council watched the progress with interest for 
two or three years, and then proceeded to discuss the ques- 
tion of lighting the streets with electricity, three years more, 
finally coming to the conclusion in November, 1892, to enter 
into a contract with the Jacksonville Electric Light Company 
for supplying ten arc lights on Bay Street, from Bridge 
(Broad) to Liberty. These were soon placed and were the 
first street arc lights in the city. 

In 1894 the city and its inhabitants were dependent for 
gas and electricity upon the Citizens Gas and Electric Light 
Company, which owned the only gas plant, and also a ma- 
jority of the stock of the Jacksonville Electric Light Com- 
pany, which operated the only electric light plant in the city. 
The Citizens Gas and Electric Light Company therefore 
controlied absolutely the gas and electric light business of 


324 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Jacksonville, and fixed the prices therefor. Its price for gas 
was then $3 a 1000 cubic feet, with some discounts for large 
customers; and for electricity $15 a month for 1200 c.p. are 
lights, and 28¢ a kilowatt for incandescent lights. 

In the bond issue of 1894, provision was made for the 
erection of a municipal electric light plant. Some delay in 
commencing the work was caused by injunctions brought by 
private parties, but when these matters were settled in favor 
of the City, the plant was erected next to the waterworks in 
Waterworks park. City lights were turned on for the first 
time March 7, 1895, and on the 25th of that month the plant 
was turned over to the City for operation. The plant was 
erected at a cost of $76,675. The prices fixed by the City at 
the time were: $7.50 a month for all-night 2000 c.p. arc lights ; 
$6.25 a month for 12 o’clock 2000 c.p. are lights; and 7c a 
kilowatt for incandescent lights. 

Important line extensions were made in 1898, 1901 (in- 
cluding replacements costing $46,000 as a result of the fire 
of May 3, 1901), 1903 and 1908. On January 18, 1911, the 
lighting franchise, hitherto held by the street railway com- 
pany, passed to the City. The demand upon the municipal 
plant now became so great that a new and larger main sta- 
tion of the most modern type became an urgent necessity. 
The site selected for it was on the river front in the Tally- 
rand section. The plant was completed at a cost, including 
equipment, of about $635,000, and put in operation October 
12,1912. The original plant then became a transformer sta- 
tion known as sub-station No.1. During the World war, sub- 
stations were established in the shipyards in South Jackson- 
ville and at Camp Johnston. In October, 1924, an important 
sub-station was completed in Riverside, at McDuff and Post 
Streets. There is also a special sub-station at the municipal 
docks. The underground electric work in the business sec- 
tion was done in 1913-14-15, at a cost of $500,000. 

Pablo Beach was “cut in” on the Jacksonville current 
March 14, 1923. The service to Orange Park began Febru- 
ary 28, 1924. 

It has been 30 years since the original plant was con- 
structed; in that time the cost of maintenance, replacements 
and extensions has continued to mount higher and higher, 
but the cost of electricity to the resident of Jacksonville has 
remained unchanged from that day to this. Nevertheless, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 325 


beginning in 1900, the plant, year by year, has shown an in- 
crease in profit. It is the most valuable financial asset of the 
City, and yet it furnishes light and power at a rate among 
the lowest in the United States. 


Paving the Streets 


The first paving project in Jacksonville and Duval Coun- 
ty was in the 1850’s, when a company of enterprising citi- 
zens was formed to construct a plank road from Jacksonville 
to Alligator Town (Lake City), following the route of the 
western branch of the old Kings Road. Eight miles of the 
plank road were completed, when the railroad (Florida, At- 
lantic & Gulf Central) became assured, whereupon the plank 
road construction was abandoned, leaving the stockholders 
of the enterprise responsible for debts that resulted in num- 
erous lawsuits. The route of the plank road was from Bay 
and Newnan Streets north on Newnan to Duval; west on 
Duval, crossing what is now Main Street over low wet land 
near a pond, to Laura; north on Laura to Church; thence 
west to “Cracker Swamp”, a farm owned by I. D. Hart. Rem- 
nants of the plank road were still in existence after the War 
Between the States. 

In 1882, the Jacksonville Daily Times, in a long editorial 
describing Bay Street as a chain of lakes and mud-holes, 
started the question of paving the streets of Jacksonville. 
The Board of Trade, after its organization in 1884, took it 
up, and the matter was frequently before the City Council; 
but beyond an extended discussion of the subject, wherein 
every phase of the situation was gone over again and again, 
nothing was done toward getting down to actual work, until 
1886. The citizens were divided as to the kind of paving to 
use. The Wyckoff cypress blocks, laid on 1-inch planks, 
were selected. The contract was let, but considerable further 
delay was experienced in starting the work, as the street 
railway company refused to share its proportionate part of 
the expense. The F.R. & N. Ry. at first agreed to pay for its 
part of the paving in front of its property on the south side 
of Bay Street, from Hogan west to about the middle of the 
block, but at the last moment refused to do so. However, 
the work was started, and Bay Street was leveled and rolled 
from Market to Julia, and laying the blocks commenced 
March 18, 1886. The question had been agitated so long that 


326 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


a crowd was on hand to watch the proceedings. Comments 
ran about as follows: That the pavement wasn’t worth a 
d—n; that it would rot out in two years and cause all kinds 
of sickness from yellow fever and cholera down to whooping- 
cough and measles; that in case of fire on either side of the 
street, it would spread over the paving and clean out the 
town. The paving was completed the first week of June 1886, 
and included Bay Street from Market to Julia, except the 
strip in front of the F. R. & N. Ry. property. Market Street 
from Duval to the river, and the river-front portion of Hogan 
Street were then paved, followed by the paving of Pine 
(Main) Street. After a year’s test, the block paving was con- 
sidered satisfactory, and by October, 1887, Forsyth, Market 
to Laura; Laura, entire length; and Pine, entire length, had 
been paved with cypress blocks. In the spring of 1888, Julia 
was paved from Bay to Ashley; Cedar, Bay to Forsyth; and 
Church, Cedar to Julia. In September, 1889, a torrential 
rain scattered pell-mell the blocks on Bay Street between 
Pine and Newnan and washed many of them away, but they 
were relaid. In 1890, Bay Street, Market to Washington, 
was paved with blocks. The last wood block pavement was 
laid in February, 1892, as a replacement on Bay Street be- 
tween Main and Ocean. In the meantime, confidence in the 
class of paving being used in Jacksonville had suffered a 
great back-set. In the case of the wood blocks, the surface 
became uneven and rough and hollowed in the center, un- 
comfortable to ride over and impossible to keep clean by 
sweeping; and in the fire of 1891 along Main Street, the 
center of the blocks burned out, leaving only the rims intact. 
Considerable stretches of some of the streets had been paved 
with Alachua rock, and here developed another source of 
paving worries for the citizens of Jacksonville about this time, 
this “improvement” becoming known as “mud” and the streets 
so paved being called ‘a mortar bed’. Serious matters at 
the time, they now appear in a humorous light in comparison 
with modern street improvement. The last relic of wood 
block paving was removed from Cedar Street in December, 
1897. 

In 1892 the first idea of brick paving was advanced, and 
early in 1893, an ordinance was passed by the City Council 
for the paving of Bay Street, from Bridge (Broad) to Hogans 
Creek, and property owners in the business section were 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 327 


notified to pave in front of their property by April 1st, fol- 
lowing; this caused a great deal of confusion and complaint, 
and led to a general contract with the Tennessee Brick Pav- 
ing Company of Chattanooga, for a paving of vitrified brick 
on a foundation of shell and cement, at a cost to property 
owners of $2.41 a square yard. The work of removing the 
wooden blocks started in June, 1898. Asasafeguard against 
sickness, the blocks were heavily coated with lime and sent 
to the cremator for destruction. The first brick was laid 
June 30, 1893, near the corner of Bay and Hogan Streets, and 
the block between Hogan and Julia was completed in two 
weeks. The work progressed under difficulties and delays, 
and it was not until June 1, 1894, that Bay Street was finished 
and opened, from Bridge (Broad) to Market Street—the 
finest paved street in Florida at the time. It was a grouted 
brick pavement throughout, with the exception of the inter- 
sections at Bay and Main, and Bay and Ocean, which had 
been paved in January, 1893, with asphalt blocks, as an ex- 
periment. This was the first brick paving in Jacksonville. 

Considerable brick paving was done under the bond issue 
of 1894. By the end of 1896, the paving in the city amounted 
to 6.8 miles of vitrified brick; 6.7 miles marl and rock, and 
3.5 miles shell. 

The subsequent history of street paving is written in the 
terms of bond issues and more miles of paving—and politics. 
The system of apportioning the paving schedules among the 
various wards not only produced bitter fights in the Board 
of Public Works and the Council, but contributed immensely 
to defeating any general, well-laid plan to develop thorough- 
fares. The matter of selecting streets to be paved caused 
more wrangling in the past than all other public improve- 
ments combined. The development of well-defined arterial 
roads and streets is a matter of comparatively recent years. 
In 1924, the City of Jacksonville had 350 miles of streets laid 
out, of which 106 miles were improved. 

An active City Planning Commission is of great advan- 
tage to a growing city like Jacksonville, in the matter of cor- 
recting the evil of helter-skelter street lines in abutting sub- 
divisions, frequently laid out without any definite idea as to 
future requirements and often acting as a block to natural 
thoroughfares leading outward from the City. 


328 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Viaducts and Bridges 


Bridge (Broad) Street Viaduct.—Prior to 1890 there 
was a wooden bridge across McCoys Creek at the foot of 
Bridge Street and the railroad tracks were flush with the 
street. Several people were killed at this point by trains. 
In 1888 the question of a viaduct over the railroad tracks 
was strongly advocated, but the yellow fever epidemic de- 
layed the matter and it did not assume concrete form until 
December 19, 1889, with a formal agreement entered into 
by the City, the County, the S. F. & W., J. T. & K. W., and 
F.C. & P. Railroads and the Jacksonville Street Railway Co., 
each agreeing to pay one-sixth of the cost, estimated at 
$9,000 each. The contracts for the substructure were 
awarded to W. A. McDuff and for the superstructure to 
Groton Bridge Co. Actual work began in March, 1890. 
Rapid progress was hampered by property owners, who 
claimed injury on account of changing the street grades. 
The work was completed and the viaduct opened for traffic 
in December, 1890. This was a steel viaduct supported by 
steel supports with a floor of wood. The total length was 
1,100 feet, and that of the main bridge 834 feet. 

This viaduct became too light for the traffic and was 
demolished in July, 1903, to make way for its modern suc- 
cessor (the present viaduct), built by the railroads and 
street car company. The new viaduct was completed in 
January, 1905. In three weeks it was noticed that a portion 
of the span was settling; here a wonderful engineering feat 
was performed—the whole end of the reinforced concrete 
structure was raised to the proper level by jacks and built 
up to. The viaduct is maintained at the expense of the rail- 
roads and street car company. 


Duval Street Viaduct.—The original Duval Street viaduct 
was a wooden structure built by the Atlantic, Valdosta & 
Western Ry., in 1899, in consideration of certain rights 
granted it by the city. The A. V. & W. Ry. was required to 
keep the bridge in repair. The bridge was 17 feet above 
ground; had a 30-foot driveway and six-foot sidewalks on 
each side. Practically all of the structure was destroyed 
in the fire of May 3, 1901. 

The present Duval Street reinforced concrete viaduct 
was also built by the Atlantic, Valdosta & Western Railway 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 329 


in replacement of the one destroyed in the fire. It was 
built in 1902. Its length is 624 feet. 


Adams Street Viaduct.—The Adams Street viaduct over 
Hogans Creek was built in 1909 by the Seaboard Air Line 
Railway and the St. Johns Terminal Company, in considera- 
tion of privileges granted them to operate trains across 
Adams and Bay Streets. It is a reinforced concrete struc- 
ture of floor girders and columns, with a 40-foot roadway 
between curb lines and sidewalks on each side eight feet 
wide. The superstructure is built on pile foundations with 
concrete footings. Including the five approaches—two on 
Adams, two on Catherine, and one on Palmetto Street—the 
length is 1,400 feet. The roadway is paved with 9,000 yards 
of vitrified brick paving laid on crushed sand. The viaduct 
was built by Phillips and Turnbull of Jacksonville for $90,000. 
It was accepted by the city August 3, 1909. The first street 
car crossed August 10, 1909. 


Lee Street Viaduct.—At a Council meeting October 11, 
1911, Councilman J. M. Peeler introduced a resolution to 
investigate the need for another viaduct over McCoys Creek 
to Riverside. Following this every now and then the ques- 
tion bobbed up and gained a momentum that ended in a bond 
issue September 1, 1919, in which there was a provision for 
building the Lee Street viaduct. It became necessary for 
the city to institute condemnation proceedings against a 
number of property cwners on Park Street in Brooklyn, some 
of whom were negroes, in order to widen the street to fur- 
nish a proper approach; this occasioned considerable delay 
in starting the construction. The viaduct is a reinforced 
concrete structure 537 feet long, and with the approaches 
1,056 feet. The roadway is 40 feet wide laid with vitrified 
brick, and 10-foot sidewalks on each side; width over all 60 
feet. The north approach has a 5.8% grade up and the south 
approach slightly less. The viaduct was completed and 
opened for traffic November 4, 1921. It was built by C. H. 
Hillyer at a cost of $270,900, of which $89,000 was paid by 
the Terminal Company. 

Jacksonville-St. Johns River Bridge.—On July 10, 1917, 
the voters of Duval County went to the polls and voted 3,405 
for and 2,586 against a bond issue of $950,000 for building a 
highway bridge across the St. Johns River at Jacksonville. 


330 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The fight that had been in progress with its lulls and fresh 
outbreaks for a quarter of a century now neared an end. 
Interests antagonistic to the enterprise made a final struggle 
in the courts; were defeated, and the bonds were issued and 
sold July 22, 1919, just two years after they were voted. 
Contracts were awarded to the Missouri Valley Bridge and 
Iron Company for the substructure and to the Bethlehem 
Steel Bridge & Iron Company for the superstructure. The 
first shovel of dirt was thrown September 25, 1919, by St. 
Elmo W. Acosta. Erection of the steel superstructure began 
in July, 1920. There were no serious delays during the prog- 
ress of the work. Amidst a three-day celebration the bridge 
was thrown open to traffic on the afternoon of July 1, 1921, 
the event being marked by the christening ceremonies when 
the sponsor, Miss Katherine Wilson, christened it the “Jack- 
sonville-St. Johns River Bridge.” It was advertised far and 
near at the time as “Duval County’s Gift to Florida.” 

The total length of the bridge, including approaches, is 
three-fourths of a mile, and the part over the water is 
slightly less than half a mile. The roadway is 30 feet wide 
between curbs and has double street car tracks; there is a 
seven-foot sidewalk on each side—width over all 45 feet. 
The “down” position of the movable span in the center gives 
a clearance of 57 feet for navigation; when raised there is 
a clearance of 165 feet. The elevation of the lifting towers 
above the water is 228 feet. There are 20 piers, their foot- 
ings varying from 30 to 91 feet below water level and their 
sizes from eight feet in diameter to 18 feet square. The 
materials for the bridge came from 12 different States and 
if all had been hauled at one time it would have required a 
train 12 miles long. The total cost of the bridge was $1,193,- 
000, or $248,000 above the estimate; the extra cost was pro- 
vided by another bond issue. 


City Buildings 


The first building owned by the town of Jacksonville was 
a diminutive one at the river’s edge at the foot of Market 
Street. It was a fish market and was built during the Semi- 
nole Indian war. About 1840 another small building was 
built for a meat market at the foot of Ocean Street; this was 
probably the building overturned by McMullen and Bryant 
_ when they made their notorious raid upon Jacksonville. The 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 331 


meat market was provided with a bell, which was rung to 
notify the people that meat and produce had arrived for 
sale. Some years later the two markets were consolidated 
at Ocean Street, and the Market Street shanty was moved 
up near Bay and used as a jail, popularly called “The Jug”’. 
The Ocean Street market was burned in April, 1854, and 
was rebuilt at the foot of Newnan Street. 

After the War Between the States the site of the market 
was again shifted to Ocean Street and a small two-story brick 
building was built in the middle of Newnan Street south of 
and facing Bay Street. This building was the court room, 
jail, fire headquarters, polling place for elections, in fact the 
hub of municipal affairs. It was torn down about 1876. 

The market on Ocean Street was built over the water and 
the refuse was dumped into the river through a hole in the 
floor. There was not enough tide to wash the decaying ani- 
mal and vegetable matter away and the odor about the place 
was often far from pleasant. The butchers were frequently 
sick and several of them died of what they called the “market 
fever’. The market was eventually condemned and torn 
down on account of the sickness among the butchers and the 
insanitary condition in which it was kept. An editorial in 
the Jacksonville Tri-weekly Sun of February 10, 1876, re- 
ferred to this market as follows: 


What reminiscences linger around the old market building and 
how many spirits of gaunt grunters-—lean, lank, long-haired and 
wedge-shaped bodies—are now hovering around that crumbling public 
edifice as it goes down under the stalwart arms of day laborers? And 
the dying echoes of a Saturday night’s closing scene, when the odds 
and ends of the week were sold to the anxious and eager citizens of 
Hansontown for a song, for soup and steak until Monday, still linger 
in our memory. Good-bye, old building, with all thy good and bad 
reminiscences. ‘When beckoning ghosts along the moonlight shade 
invite our steps’ the old citizen as he passes the vacant lot will muse. 


The market was rebuilt in 1878. 

In 1889, the Board of Public Works leased a site on the 
river, on the west side of Market Street in the rear of the 
Mohawk building, on which was erected a large two-story 
brick-veneer building. All of the second floor and part of 
the ground floor were cut up into offices for the city officials. 
The greater part of the ground floor, though, was left open 
for market stalls. The City Departments moved from their 


332 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


quarters on Ocean Street, between Bay and Forsyth, to the 
new City Hall, as it was called, in August, 1889. City Hall 
miraculously escaped destruction when the Mohawk build- 
ing burned in May, 1891. 

In the bond issue of 1894 there was a provision of $100,- 
000 for the purchase of a site and the erection of a city 
building. On April 19, 1894, the city purchased for $40,000 
the east 150 feet of Block 22, on the west side of Ocean 
Street running through from Forsyth to Adams. Here a 
handsome two-story red brick City Hall and Market building 
was erected, and occupied in June, 1896. This building 
covered an area 150x204 feet, and its graceful tower on 
Ocean Street, rising 95 feet high, was a conspicuous object 
to anyone approaching the city. The first floor was devoted 
largely to use as market stalls and stores, which, though 
fronting on the street, also opened into a cemented court 
designed so that it could be flooded and thoroughly cleansed. 
On the second story were the Council chamber and city 
offices. The building was built by the Knoxville Building & 
Construction Company for $49,000, and the total cost of the 
improvement, including site and furniture, was $97,000. 
This building was destroyed in the fire of May 38, 1901. . 

The city had only a small amount of insurance on its 
public building at the time of the fire and it was necessary 
to float a bond issue to procure the money for the replace- 
ment of city property destroyed. The present City Hall 
occupies the site of that destroyed by the fire. It was erected 
by Contractor W. H. Harris at a cost of $74,000, and was 
completed and thrown open to the public March 3, 1903. 
The feature of interior decoration is the painting in the 
dome, which was executed by a New York artist at a cost 
of $1,200. The building becoming inadequate to house the 
growing municipal departmental force, the Engineer build- 
ing at the northwest corner of Main and Orange Streets was 
erected in 1912 at a cost of $40,766, and some of the city 
departments were transferred to it. These buildings have 
now become overcrowded and further extensions or enlarge- 
ments will soon be necessary. 


City Parks 


Hemming Park.—Square No. 39 was reserved as a public 
square when that part of Jacksonville was originally 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 333 


platted some years before the War Between the States, but 
it was not deeded to the city until January 23, 1866, when 
the executors of the estate of I. D. Hart conveyed it to the 
city of Jacksonville for a consideration of $10. Upon the 
completion of the St. James Hotel (where Cohen’s store is 
now), interest in the park developed and it was improved by 
private exertions by building a fence around it and a band- 
stand in the center. Nothing was done toward keeping up 
these improvements and the park soon became an eyesore. 
A local editor wrote in 1878: “A good suggestion has been 
made to turn this plot of ground (the park) into a cemetery, 
for by this means in the course of time we may have a few 
handsome monuments and sorrowing relatives will plant 
around them a few fiowers.”’ Likewise another editorial in 
1882: “Our city park is a municipal eyesore. The fence that 
once surrounded it has rotted down and has been carted off ; 
the old pavilion is a trap that ere long will fall and kill some- 
one.” 

The first appropriation by the city for improving the 
park was in 1887, when $700 was set aside for the purpose. 
Walks were laid and a weil sunk in the center for a flowing 
fountain. The fountain remained in the center until 1898, 
when it was changed to the northwest corner to make way 
for the Confederate monument. For a time the park had no 
name, being called simply City Park; then by common con- 
sent it was called St. James Park. As a memorial to Charles 
C. Hemming, who gave the Confederate monument in this 
park, the narne was officially changed to Hemming Park by 
city ordinance October 26, 1899. Hemming Park contains 
about two acres. 


Riverside Park.—In the Forbes plat of “Riverside’”’ in 
1869, a provision was made for a park of 14acres. The Land 
Mortgege Bank of England afterward acquired the property 
and in 1893 offered to donate it to the city, with the provision 
that it be improved and kept up as a park. The donors fur- 
ther agreed to build a fence around the park if the city would 
lay sidewalks. The offer was accepted and the improvements 
were made. When the park was enclosed turnstiles were 
provided at the corners. Cattle roamed over that section 
and the fence was designed to keep stock out. The work of 
clearing the ground of underbrush was commenced in the 
autumn of 18938, city prisoners being used for the purpose. 


334 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


By the summer of 1894 the two artificial lakes had been 
constructed and the landscaping completed. In the course 
of time the fence surrounding the park rotted down and was 
not replaced. 


Springfield Park.—In 1898 the Springfield Company of- 
fered to deed to the city about 40 acres of land on the north 
side of Hogans Creek, comprising mostly low land along the 
creek from Laura to Tenth Streets, if the city would improve 
the land as a park and open and maintain a paved boulevard 
along its northeastern border. The offer was accepted by 
the city in May, 1898, and the work of improvement was 
started in the winter of 1899-1900. Hogans Creek was im- 
proved, and sanitary garbage was dumped on the low land 
and covered with soil. By the summer of 1901 the improve- 
ment work was practically completed. 


Confederate Park.—The 20 acres comprising this park 
were acquired by the city to form a link with Springfield Park 
and the waterworks grounds in the development of a continu- 
ous park along the north side of Hogans Creek. Like Spring- 
field Park, it was low land and had to be filled in, by hauling in 
sanitary garbage and covering over with sand, which work 
was begun in August, 1907. It was originally named Dignan 
Park, but it was changed to Confederate Park October 15, 
1914, in view of the erection of the beautiful memorial to 
the women of the Confederacy. 


Fairfield Park.—The tract now comprising Fairfield Park, 
18 acres, was acquired by the city while it was low, wet land. 
The work of filling in was done in 1915-16, but in 1916 the 
ground began to settle and a considerable amount of filling 
in had to be done over again. The Fairfield Improvement 
Association was largely responsible for the improvement of 
this park. The site has been strongly advocated as one for 
a municipal stadium and athletic field. 


East Jacksonville Park.—This park comprises three 
acres, bounded by Adams, Monroe, Van Buren and Georgia 
Streets. It was acquired by purchase from private lot 
owners the first lot, No. 3, Block 16, being purchased in Sep- 
tember, 1910, for $2,500. 


Memorial Park.—In response to a sentiment for a memo- 
rial to those who lost their lives as a result of the World 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 335 


war, the city in June, 1919, purchased the 53,4, acres in River- 
side, now known as Memorial Park, for $125,000. This land 
had already been bulkheaded along the riverfront and filled 
in by private parties, by pumping in sand from the river, 
for development purposes. The preliminary improvement 
of the park began in October, 1922, when soil to raise the 
level and furnish a body for the planting was hauled in and 
oak trees planted. The walks were laid and the memorial 
gates built in the winter of 1923-4. The landscaping was 
done in the following spring at a cost of $10,000. 


Willowbrook Park.—In February, 1916, the Council 
passed an ordinance for the purchase of about 14 acres along 
Willow Branch in Riverside for park purposes. The Mayor 
vetoed the ordinance because of the prevailing business con- 
ditions of the country, but the ordinance was eventually 
passed over the Mayor’s veto and the land was purchased 
for $36,000. About two acres adjoining, and the narrow 
strip to the St. Johns River were acquired soon afterward. 
The park is maintained largely in its natural state, only the 
underbrush having been removed. The azalias were planted 
in the spring of 1924 and were a gift to the city from Harold 
H. Hume; in time these may become a rival of those in the 
famous azalia gardens of Charleston. 

Including the foregoing prominent parks, the city of 
Jacksonville owns in parks, playgrounds, and park lands a 
total of approximately 278 acres. 


Municipal Docks and Terminals 


Little by little private corporations acquired control of 
the docking facilities at Jacksonville until this feature of the 
port was entirely in their hands. Becoming alarmed at the 
situation the Jacksonville Board of Trade in 1912 paid the 
expense of a special session of the Legislature in order to 
have passed an enabling Act for a bond issue to construct 
municipally owned docks and terminals. The Act was 
passed; the question was submitted to the voters, and a bond 
issue of $1,500,000 was authorized. A Port Commission 
composed of 15 local citizens was elected to handle the ex- 
penditure of this money. 

The Port Commission perfected its organization early in 
1913. Several months were consumed in adopting the type 
of terminals to be constructed and in selecting a site for 


336 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


them. The matter of the site quickly simmered down to 
two—Commodore’s Point and what was known as the Old 
Soldiers’ Home site; the latter was selected. Here 144 acres 
of land were acquired by purchase. Much of it was low land 
and was reclaimed by dredging and filling in from the river, 
which also served the useful purpose of deepening the water 
in front of the proposed docks. This preliminary work was 
in progress a year, and practically all of the land between 
Talleyrand Avenue and the river, with a river frontage of 
one mile, was reclaimed. 

Actual work on the docks was commenced in October, 
1914. The plan carried out embraced two piers, each 260 
feet wide and extending into the river 1,000 feet, at an angle 
of 60 degrees with the channel in order to facilitate approach 
to the piers and also to counteract the silting-up of slips. 
These piers were constructed by sinking steel piling tied and 
braced by heavy rods, and after this “form” was completed 
by filling-in to grade by dredging from the slips and the 
river. In this way a depth of water equal to that of the chan- 
nel, 30 feet, was provided up to the docks. Along the bulk- 
head line of the piers an apron wharf 30 feet wide was pro- 
vided for service as railroad approaches to the ship’s side, 
and also for cargo-handling appliances. On the south pier 
two steel warehouses, each 783x800 feet, were built, together 
with two reinforced concrete cotton compresses; double rail- 
road tracks were provided between the warehouses as well 
as along the apron wharves on each side. The north pier was 
designed for a lumber wharf and other commodities not re- 
quiring housing, and equipped with suitabie railroad track- 
age. 

To facilitate the rapid interchange of rail and water- 
bourne freight it was necessary for the city to own and 
operate a terminal yard. The yards were located near Ever- 
green Avenue, where there was easy connection with the 
railroad lines; this was 114, miles from the docks. Six miles 
of trackage was laid with 75-pound steel rails, with the best 
frogs and switches that could be bought. With its shifting 
engines, these municipal terminals were complete and in 
conformity with the best practice of terminal requirements. 

Supplementary to the main docks in Talleyrand, the Port 
Commissioners acquired by lease the municipal dock front- 
age at the foot of Market Street and built the pier for use 
more especially for local purposes. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 387 


The municipal docks and terminals, as originally contem- 
plated, were practically completed in the fall of 1916, when, 
on September 1, 1916, the Port Commissioners issued the 
first tariff sheet. The total cost of the project was in the 
neighborhood of $1,350,000, or considerably less than the 
amount authorized in the bond issue. It was an undertaking 
of great magnitude and will stand, regardless of subsequent 
enlargements, as 2 monument to the Jacksonville Board of 
Trade for inspiring it; to the judicious and economical han- 
dling of the project by the Port Commissioners, and to the 
engineer that designed the improvement. 

The municipal docks began to show a profit in 1917, really 
sooner than anticipated. The rapid increase in domestic 
demands made necessary the building of an additional pier 
(No. 3}, for which purpose a bond issue of $1,000,000 was 
authorized in 1921. In November, 1922, preliminary work 
upon the new pier was started and at the close of 1924 was 
in course of completion. 


Municipal Golf Course 


The necessity for a municipally owned golf course was 
stressed at a luncheon of the Jacksonville Real Estate Ex- 
change August 28, 1919. As an outgrowth of that meeting 
committees were appointed and other meetings were held, 
terminating in a plan being presented to the City Commis- 
sion for the purchase of land near the State Fair grounds 
for a golf course. Progressing through the preliminary 
stages, 146 acres of wild land were purchased by the city 
in April, 1922, from the Hail estate for $61,600. The work 
of clearing the property of underbrush was commenced at 
once, city prisoners from the Prison Farm being used for the 
purpose. Donald Ross, a well-known golf course architect, 
was then employed to lay out the course. The course was 
officially opened November 8, 1923. 

The municipal course extends 3,040 yards out and 3,242 
yards in. It is an 18-hole course; tees No. 1 and 10 are 
within 80 yards of each other in front of the club house. The 
total cost of the improvement, including the land and the 
club house, was about $112,000. A fee was instituted of 50 
cents a day, which included locker, shower and a towel; a 
book of 30 tickets cost $10. 


338 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The course became extremely popular from the day it 
was opened, being generally considered an excellent one. 


Postoffice 


Jacksonville was established as a postoffice March 24, 
1824. The mail was carried on horseback once a week to 
the St. Marys River and likewise to St. Augustine, with a 
weekly mail to Tallahassee during the sessions of the Legis- 
lative Council. There were few settlements in the country 
north and west of Jacksonville and the post-riders experi- 
enced many difficulties and dangers, though they were seldom 
molested by the Indians. The first contract for carrying the 
mail between Jacksonville and Tallahassee was awarded to 
Albert G. Philips. Sometimes Mr. Philips carried the mail 
himself and camped wherever night overtook him. He was 
more or less familiar with the language of the Indians and 
could talk with them. Often as he slept in the woods he 
would awake in the night and find Indian braves gathered 
around his campfire. They never molested him and never 
took one thing from him, but frequently brought him dried 
venison and wild honey, and he would give them coffee and 
tobacco in exchange. He would then go back to sleep and 
when he woke up again they would be gone. A regular mail- 
rider was Green Bush, famous as a coon and squirrel hunter 
and generally considered the best shot in the county. This 
early mail service from Jacksonville by post-riding was 
clothed in the romance of the wild. When steamboat sched- 
ules became established, between Charleston, Savannah and 
Jacksonville in the 1840’s, the mail from the North was re- 
ceived in this way. As early as 1835 there seems to have 
been a stage line between Jacksonville and Tallahassee (prob- 
ably in operation only during the sessions of the Council) and 
the mail no doubt was also carried. In 1839, the Territorial 
Legislature sent a resolution to Florida’s delegate in Congress 
seeking an appropriation of $5,000 in order to repair the road 
from Jacksonville to the St. Marys (Kings Road), as in wet 
weather it was almost impassable, which caused great delays 
in the mails. Until 1860, when the first railroad was built 
into Jacksonville, the mail to West Florida was carried by 
stage. There was a semi-weekly stage between Jacksonville 
and White Sulphur Springs (now White Springs) which at 
that time was a famous resort for the people of Florida and 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 339 


Georgia; this stage connected at Alligator Town (Lake City) 
with one from the West. 

The location of the first postoffice was ina store. It was 
then moved to the basement of the courthouse when that 
building had reached a state that it afforded some protection 
against the weather, and remained there for some time. 
Then it was moved again to a store. As a matter of fact 
during these early days the postoffice location changed with 
a change of postmasters, for the income derived from it was 
not sufficient in itself to make the position desired, though 
store-keepers were willing to distribute the weekly mails in 
order to draw the patronage that usually results from the 
postoffice when it is located in a town or country store. For 
years William Grothe was postmaster, merchant, jeweler 
and watch-repairer in a little building about 20 feet square 
located at the northeast corner of Forsyth and Newnan 
Streets. 

Following the War Between the States the business of 
the postoffice increased with the growth of the town and the 
development of the transportation service, when it became 
of sufficient importance to justify a salary for the postmaster 
that made the position worth while. On January 1, 1884, 
during the term of Wm. M. Ledwith as postmaster, a carrier 
service was inaugurated with four men. This was the real 
beginning of the modern mail service in Jacksonville. When 
the Mohawk building was built at the southwest corner of 
Bay and Market Streets in the winter of 1884-85, the post- 
office was moved there from the corner of Bay and Newnan, 
and here for the first time it became a separate business of 
its own. The postoffice was burned out in the fire that de- 
stroyed the Mohawk building in May, 1891. The Mohawk 
building was immediately rebuilt, the finest business building 
in the city at that time, and the postoffice was returned to 
its former location, having occupied temporary quarters in 
the meantime. This was its location until the U. S. Govern- 
ment building at Forsyth and Hogan Streets was built. 

The inauguration of the carrier service in 1884 was the 
subject of many advertisements of the town’s growth and 
furnished the Board of Trade, organized soon afterward, an 
opportunity to start the agitation for the erection of a Gov- 
ernment building here, which was eventually successful. In 
1887 the Federal Government notified property owners to 


340 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


submit prices on suitable locations. Responses from every 
section of the down-town district were sent in, and the ques- 
tion of the location became a matter of considerable feeling 
between the lawyers and the business men, the former seek- 
ing a site near the court house on Market Street while the 
latter wanted it closer to the business section of the city. 
General mass-meetings of citizens were held upon the matter 
and it was not finally settled until the Government announced 
the purchase of the lot at the northeast corner of Forsyth 
and Hogan Streets. 

Work on the U. 8. Government building started in Sep- 
tember, 1892. It was in course of construction three years, 
being finished and officially occupied in August, 1895. The 
walls are of Tennessee marble. The floors are laid in black 
and white Vermont marble mosaics. The ceiling heights of 
the three floors are 19, 18, and 14 feet respectively, attic 12 
feet. The pinnacle of the tower was 168 feet above the side- 
walk, higher than the highest lighthouse in Florida at the 
time. The Government appropriated $250,000 for this im- 
provement and it was expended as follows: Lot, $43,000; 
structure, $134,000; interior finish, $42,000; heating, furni- 
ture and elevator, $31,000. 

In 1905 the addition reaching to Adams Street was con- 
structed together with some changes in the tower part. 


Jacksonville’s Postmasterst 


Name. Appointed. Name. Appointed. 
John L. Doggett.....Mar. 24,1824 John S. Adams...... July 3,1874 
Isaiah ‘DD, Hart 3.02. Jan. 19,1827 Manuel Govin...... July 21, 1876 
William B. Ross..... July 17,1887 Hamilton Jay .......Mar.16, 1877 


Rufus B. Gregory...July 1,1841 
Joun) MarPons wie Sep. 20, 1841 
Mark Butte iota cae. June 2, 1849 
Chas. M. Cooper.....Apr. 12, 1853 
William Grothe..... Apr. 19, 1854 
Calvin L. Robinson..Apr. 9, 1862 
Edward H. Reed.....Feb. 15, 1864 
Chas. M. Hamilton. .July 27,1871 
Edward M. Cheney..Mar. 1, 1872 





Wm. M. Ledwith.....Sep. 1, 1882 
Harrison W. Clark...Oct. 6, 1885 
Patrick E. McMurray, June 4, 1889 
Harrison W. Clark. .May 23,1893 
Dennis Eagan ...... Sep. 21, 1897 
Daniel T. Gerow.... .June 24, 1902 
Peter A. Dignan....July 6,1914 
George L. Drew..... July 28, 1919 
Herbert E. Ross..... Sep. 5, 1922 


+This list was compiled in the Postmaster-General’s office at Washington. 


a ae 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 341 


CHAPTER XVIII 
THE RAILROADS 


A book of many pages could be written on the subject of 
railroad projects in Florida; how a few progressive, far-see- 
ing men struggied with Territorial Councils and State Legis- 
latures for the passage of railroad legislation; how laws were 
made, repeaied, and made again; how seemingly insurmount- 
able obstacles were met and overcome; and finally when con- 
struction actually commenced, how slowly it progressed, 
inches on the map representing years of difficulty. 


The Early Projects 


As early as 1834, an attempt was made to organize a 
company to build a line of railroad from Jacksonville to Tal- 
lahassee and later extend it to some point on the Gulf coast. 
The name of the railroad was to be the Florida Peninsular & 
Jacksonville Railroad. The capital stock of the company was 
limited to one million dollars. Among the directors were J. 
B. Lancaster, I. D. Hart, F. Bethune, W. G. Mills, and Stephen 
Eddy, all of Jacksonville. The Seminole Indian war and the 
panic of 1837 caused the abandonment of the enterprise.¢ 

In the 1840’s, a survey was made for a railroad from Jack- 
sonville to Cedar Key, and another from Jacksonville to the 
Suwanee River. Then matters were allowed to rest and 
powerful opposition arose with the organization of a com- 
pany, of which David Levy Yulee was the head, to build a 
railroad from Fernandina to Cedar Key. Yulee successfully 
carried out his project and the proposed railroads from Jack- 
sonville were abandoned.? But there were progressive citi- 
zens in Jacksonville, and a company, headed by Dr. A. S. 
Baldwin, was organized in 1852, to build a railroad from 
Jacksonville to Lake City, then called Alligator Town.t 


Jacksonville’s First Railroad 


It was named the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Rail- 
road, and it was financed through bond issues, including a 


+¥Name changed to Lake City in 1859. 


342 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


$50,000 bond issue by the town of Jacksonville. These were 
Jacksonville’s first bonds. 

Grading began at this end of the line during the summer 
of 1857, but a yellow fever epidemic here that summer caused 
a cessation of the work for some months. The track was 
finally completed to Lake City March 13, 1860. Two days 
later the railroad gave the people of Jacksonville an excursion 
to Lake City and many people availed themselves of the 
opportunity to ride for the first time in their lives on a rail- 
road train. They were given a barbecue and a good time in 
general at the other end of the line. On March 21st, the 
people of Lake City were brought to Jacksonville on an ex- 
cursion and were hospitably welcomed here with speeches 
and a barbecue. A pleasing ceremony was carried out at the 
Judson House when Miss Louisa Holland of Jacksonville and 
Miss Kate Ives of Lake City mingled the waters of the St. 
Johns River with those of Lake DeSoto.” The engine that 
pulled the train was named “Jacksonville”. An amusing 
incident is told about its first arrival. A large crowd had 
assembled to discuss its merits pro and con. The engineer 
saw a chance for some fun; he suddenly pulled the whistle 
cord and released the escape valve. There was a spontaneous 
scramble to a safe distance, many supposing the engine was 
about to explode. The incident caused much merriment and 
was long afterward the subject of jest.¢ 

The War Between the States played havoc with the rail- 
road. Sections of the track between Jacksonville and Bald- 
win were torn up and replaced alternately by the Confed- 
erates and the Federals. Some of that old railroad iron 
eventually found its way to the navy yards and was used in 
the construction of war vessels.¢ 

Up to 1881, this was the only railroad into Jacksonville. 
Travel from the North and the West came down into Georgia 
over various lines, thence to Live Oak, Florida, where trans- 
fer was made for Jacksonville. At that time the gauge of 
the principal railroads in the South was 5 feet 2 inches, known 
as broad gauge, while that of the Northern roads was 4 feet 
814 inches, or standard gauge. There were no through pas- 
senger trains from the North, nor the West beyond the Ohio 
River. Lack of cooperation among the various lines caused 
annoying delays and frequent changes of cars. It was not 
unknown in that day for passengers to lay over in a place 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 343 


nearly 24 hours on account of the schedule of some competing 
or antagonistic railroad. In 1875, a ticket from Jacksonville 
to New York cost $36.75; the time was 66 hours according 
to the printed schedule, but the actual time usually consumed 
in making the trip was between 75 and 90 hours. In 1880 
there was a general shaking-up of railroad managements in 
the South that resulted in shortening the schedule from Jack- 
sonville to New York from 12 to 16 hours, but even then 
travel to Florida was tedious and slow.’ 

The Southern roads maintained costly car hoists and 
extra sets of trucks and wheels for through freight ship- 
ments; this was expensive maintenance and freight rates 
were necessarily high, while great uncertainty prevailed as 
to time of transit. Improvement of this condition was started 
in 1886, when an agreement was reached among the prom- 
inent Southern roads to change their gauges to standard, 4 
feet 814 inches. With respect to Jacksonville it was com- 
pleted in 1888, when on January 10, 1888, the first through 
vestibuled train from New York came in over the Savannah, 
Florida & Western, having made the run from Jersey City 
in 29 hours and 30 minutes. Henceforth there was noticeable 
improvement in travel conditions generally. Time of freight 
shipments was greatly lessened and the rates were reduced. 
Modern railroad service to and in Florida dates from this 
period. Jacksonville at this time was the terminus of the 
important railroads in the State and they were the means by 
which this city became the wholesale distributing center for 
Florida, a position it has held ever since. Henry B. Plant was 
the father of the railroad construction that produced this 
result for Jacksonville. 


Seaboard Air Line 


Florida Central Railroad. 


After the war the track of the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf 
Central Railroad was described as two streaks of rust run- 
ning through the wilderness. Nevertheless, on March 4, 
1868, William E. Jackson and associates bought the property, 
or what remained of it, for $111,000.¢ A special act of the 
Florida Legislature July 29, 1868, incorporated the new 
owners as the Florida Central Railroad Company. It was so 
operated until January 6, 1882, when it was sold at public 
auction to Sir E. J. Reed, representing foreign interests, for 


344 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


$395,000, the deed being executed and the purchaser given 
possession January 18, 1882.¢ 


Florida Central & Western Railroad. 

Six weeks after E. J. Reed bought the Florida Central he 
conveyed it on March 4, 1882, to the Florida Central & West- 
ern Railroad Company, which had obtained letters patent on 
February 26, 1882, for the purpose of operating the Florida 
Central and its connection, the Jacksonville, Pensacola & 
Mobile Railroad,¢ that by this time had been completed from 
Lake City to the Apalachicola River. 


Florida Railway & Navigation Company. 
In March, 1884, a number of Florida railroads entered into 
an agreement to consolidate. They were: 
Florida Transit & Peninsular, 
Fernandina & Jacksonville, 
Florida Central & Western, 
Leesburg & Indian River. 


The consolidation was perfected January 9, 1885, as the 
Florida Railway & Navigation Company.‘ 

The Florida Railway & Navigation Company afterward 
went into the hands of a receiver. The Western Division 
(comprising the former Florida Central and Jacksonville, 
Pensacola & Mobile Railroads) was sold at public auction in 
Jacksonville February 6, 1888, to W. Bayard Cutting, Agent, 
for $1,210,000.¢ Two or three months later the remaining 
property and the franchise of the Florida Railway & Navi- 
gation Company were sold at public auction to the same 


party. 


Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad. 

On July 12, 1888, W. Bayard Cutting transferred the 
properties formerly operated as the Florida Railway & Nav- 
igation Company to interests representing the Florida Cen- 
tral & Peninsular Railroad Company. Possession was given 
the new owners July 21, 1888.¢ 

From July 1, 1900, to August 14, 1903, the Florida Cen- 
tral & Peninsular Railroad was operated under stock owner- 
ship by the Seaboard Air Line Railroad Company; on August 
15, 1903, it was merged with and became a part of the Sea- 
board Air Line? and still forms a part of that system. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 345 


Fernandina & Jacksonville Railroad. 

The Fernandina & Jacksonville Railroad Company was 
incorporated in 1874, although actual construction did not 
commence until 1880.2 On April 6, 1881, it was completed 
from Jacksonville to Hart’s Road, now called Yulee. At 
Hart’s Road it connected with the Atlantic, Gulf & West 
India Transit Company’s line from Fernandina to Cedar 
Key.¢ The Fernandina & Jacksonville railroad came into the 
possession of the Seaboard Air Line through the chain al- 
ready described, F. R. & N.—F. C. & P.—S. A. L. 

The Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad Company built 
the line from Yulee to Savannah in 1893, which furnished a 
northern outlet from Jacksonville.¢ 


Great Southern Railway 


An effort was made to build a railroad from Jacksonville 
to the St. Marys River as early as 1870, when the Great 
Southern Railway was incorporated to build to a point near 
Kings Ferry. Considerable work was done on the roadbed, 
but the panic of 1873 came on and the project was abandoned. 


Atlantic Coast Line 


Savannah, Florida & Western Railway. 

Chartered as Atlantic & Gulf Railroad, the line was com- 
pleted before the War Between the States from Waresboro 
on the Satilla River to Thomasville, Georgia, and soon after 
the end of the war, extended to Bainbridge. Failure of the 
cotton crop in 1871 and the panic of 1873, involved the At- 
lantic & Gulf Railroad to such an extent that a receiver was 
appointed for it in April, 1877, and a bill filed in the United 
States court for the sale of the property to satisfy a second 
mortgage. The sale was held in Savannah November 4, 1879, 
when H. B. Plant purchased it and immediately reorganized 
the company under the name of Savannah, Florida & West- 
ern Railway Company.* 


East Florida Railway and Waycross & Florida Railroad. 
Chartered as separate companies in February, 1880, the 
East Florida to build from Jacksonville to a point on the St. 
Marys River near Traders Hill, a distance of 37 miles, and 
the Waycross & Florida from that point to Waycross, the 


346 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


real promoter of these roads was the Savannah, Florida & 
Western Railway Company. The two lines were built simul- 
taneously. The first shovel of dirt was thrown June 21, 1880, 
and the last spike was driven April 23, 1881, at the 27-mile- 
post from Jacksonville; it was a silver spike made in the 
S. F. & W. shops in Savannah. Actual operation of the line 
which was called ‘The Waycross Short Line”, began on April 
30, 1881. This furnished the Savannah, Florida & Western 
Railway a terminus at Jacksonville and enabled it to operate, 
via Waycross, the first through trains between Jacksonville 
and Savannah.’ These roads were operated under lease until 
March 10, 1884, when they were made a part of and operated 
as the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway,’ which was the 
most important link in the subsequent “Plant System”’. 


Speed Record 


*On February 28, 1901, the Plant System set a record that 
has never been equalled by Southern railroads. A train con- 
sisting of engine No. 111, one 60-foot vestibule postal car and 
one standard sleeper ran from Fleming, Ga., to Jacksonville, 
a distance of 148 miles, in 1384 minutes. The fastest time on 
the run was from Screven, Ga., to the 74-mile siding, a distance 
of 4.8 miles, which was covered in exactly 2 minutes and 40 
seconds, or at the rate of 108 miles an hour. The time between 
Jesup and Waycross, 40 miles, was 30 minutes; Waycross to 
Folkston, 34 miles, in 28 minutes; Waycross to Callahan, 55 
miles, in 48 minutes; Waycross to Jacksonville, 75 miles, in 69 
minutes. The train stopped for water at Jesup and Waycross; 
stopped at the S. A. L. crossing at Callahan; and slowed down 
twice, at the A. V. & W. and the J. & S. W. crossings between 
Callahan and Jacksonville. 


This record was made under the observation of the U. S. 
Postal authorities in a series of tests by the Plant System and 
the Seaboard Air Line as to which could handle the Florida and 
Cuban mails with the greater dispatch. It was the last test of 
the series. Engineer Albert H. Lodge, in charge of engine 
No. 111, was instructed by the railroad officials to open the 
throttle wide. The engine was brand new from the factory and 
Engineer Lodge did as instructed; the train fairly flew over 
the track. Ever afterward the Plant System track between 
Savannah and Jacksonville was known among railroad men 
of the Southeast as the “Speedway”. The old engine is still 
in service and is now known as A. C. L. No. 210. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 347 


Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad. 

The Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad Company 
was chartered in 1875, but actual construction of the Jack- 
sonville-Palatka division did not commence until March, 1883. 
Robert H. Coleman, millionaire coal operator of Cornwall, 
Pa., was the principal promoter of the enterprise. The line 
was completed in one year, the first train leaving Jackson- 
ville for Palatka on March 6, 1884; the engineer was Daniel 
Preston and the conductor Dennis Mahoney.¢ 

In 1885 the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad 
Company began the construction of a line from Palatka to 
Sanford over the right-of-way of the Palatka & Indian River 
Railway Company, by arrangement and proper transfer. 
This link was completed February 26, 1886, and furnished 
through connection with the South Florida Railroad at San- 
ford, the first direct rail route from Jacksonville to Tampa.# 
A year later, in April, 1887, the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key 
West Railroad Company acquired outright the ownership of 
the Palatka-Sanford division of the Palatka & Indian River 
Railway. 

As the outgrowth of a suit by the American Construction 
Company, which had originally the contract for the construc- 
tion of the J. T. & K. W. R. R., Mason Young, on August 4, 
1892, was appointed receiver of the road. Then followed a 
great deal of wrangling among the directors who soon split 
into two factions called the ‘‘ins’” and the “‘outs’”. The court 
proceedings wore on for seven years, during which time there 
were several different receivers. After a number of at- 
tempted public sales with restrictions, the court finally issued 
an order for the sale of the property without restrictions. 
At the sale, April 3, 1899, the Plant Investment Company 
bought it for $600,000 and at once merged it with the Savan- 
nah, Florida & Western Railway system.¢ Long before this, 
in the early 1880’s, Mr. Plant had acquired a controlling in- 
terest in the South Florida Railroad and extended it to 
Tampa ;” thus with the purchase of the Jacksonville, Tampa 
& Key West Railroad, the Plant Investment Company had 
brought together the various links to form a trunk line from 
the North through Jacksonville to Tampa, comprising the 
Florida railroads as originally built under the names: 


Waycross & Florida (Waycross to St. Marys River), 
East Florida (St. Marys River to Jacksonville), 


348 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West (Jacksonville to Palatka), 
Palatka & Indian River (Palatka to Sanford), 
South Florida (Sanford to Tampa). 


Mr. Plant lived to see this great system built up, but his 
death occurred soon after the accomplishment, at New York 
City, June 23, 1899. 


Merger of S. F. & W. and A. C. L. 

Practically all of the stock of the Savannah, Florida & 
Western Railway Company was owned by H. B. Plant at the 
time of his death, and in his will he provided that there be 
no partition of his property until his great-grandson, then 
four years of age, reached his majority. To accomplish this, 
Mr. Plant tried to become a citizen of Connecticut, the laws 
of which State would permit such an arrangement. In the 
contest of the will by his widow he was declared a citizen of 
New York and the provision was annulled. After these 
matters were settled an agreement was reached between the 
Savannah, Florida & Western and Atlantic Coast Line Rail- 
way companies to consolidate. This agreement became ef- 
fective May 16, 1902,‘ and provided for the operation under 
lease by the Atlantic Coast Line until June 30th; on July 1, 
1902, the properties were merged, taking the name of Atlan- 
tic Coast Line.f 


Jacksonville & Southwestern Railroad. 

The southwestern outlet of the Atlantic Coast Line traces 
back to the Jacksonville & Southwestern Railroad, incorpo- 
rated in February, 1899, by the W. W. Cummer interests. 


This company was organized to build a railroad from Mill- . 


dale (Cummer’s mill) near Jacksonville to the timber hold- 
ings of the company around Newberry, Alachua County. 
Construction was started at once. While primarily designed 
as a lumber road, the roadbed was well constructed and 60-lb. 
rails laid, standard gauge. A regular passenger and freight 
schedule was opened November 13, 1899. The property was 
sold to C. W. Chase in 1903, a unique feature being no out- 
standing obligations against the road and no bonded indebted- 
ness. The Atlantic Coast Line Railroad company purchased 
this property July 28, 1904,/ laid heavier rails and made it a 
part of the main line. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 349 


Florida East Coast Railway 


Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Halifax River Railroad. 


The original charter for building this railroad was granted 
in March, 1879, but before construction began the Florida 
Legislature passed certain land grant laws that were favor- 
able to railroad companies and in order to procure the bene- 
fits of these inducements the company obtained a new charter 
on February 28, 1881. Grading for the road was started 
immediately and the line was completed and put in operation 
in two years. It was a narrow gauge railroad and ran from 
South Jacksonville to St. Augustine.¢ 

January 1, 1886, the railroad changed ownership. <A 
circular published in the local press stated that the Jackson- 
ville, Tampa & Key West Railroad company had bought it. 
Henry M. Fiagler, who at that time was president of the 
J.T. & K. W., was the real purchaser of the Jacksonville, St. 
Augustine & Halifax River railroad, but it was known to the 
public and operated as the St. Augustine Division of the 
Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad for a number of 
years. The steam ferry between Jacksonville and South 
Jacksonville was also purchased and operated in connection 
with the railroad; this too was publicly called the J. T. & K. 
W. ferry.¢ 

Mr. Flagler immediately rebuilt the Jacksonville, St. 
Augustine & Halifax River railroad, changed the gauge to 
standard, and equipped it with the best rolling stock obtain- 
able. Itis said that he bought the railroad for the purpose 
of hauling material for the Ponce de Leon hotel which was 
then under construction. However, he soon embarked in 
railroad enterprises upon a great scale and ultimately devel- 
oped the entire Florida east coast from St. Augustine to 
Key West. ‘The building of the over-sea railroad to Key 
West was the world’s romance in railroad construction. 

Henry M. Flagler rode into Key West January 22, 1912, 
on the first through train from Jacksonville over the com- 
pleted line. Peculiarly similar to the case of H. B. Plant, he 
died soon ofter the fulfillment of his greatest desire—at 
West Palm Beach on May 20, 1913. 

The poorly constructed little 3-foot railroad between 
South Jacksonville and St. Augustine was the parent of the 
Florida East Coast Railway System of today. Its history 
after Mr. Flagler bought it is largely one of maintenance, as 


350 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


it was not affected by the financial storms that beset most 
of the railroads in the South late in the 1880’s and the early 
1890’s. It was included in the incorporation of the Florida 
Coast & Gulf Railway of May 28, 1892, which was changed 
to Jacksonville, St. Augustine & Indian River Railroad Octo- 
ber 31, 1892, under a new charter granted H. M. Flagler for 
the purpose of extending the railroad down the coast from 
Daytona; and again September 13, 1895, when the Florida 
East Coast Railway Company was chartered to include the 
entire system from Jacksonville southward.” 

The general shops of the Jacksonville, St. Augustine & 
Halifax River Railroad were located in South Jacksonville 
until 1889, when they were moved to St. Augustine.¢ 


Jacksonville & Atlantic Railway. 

The Jacksonville & Atlantic Railway Company was char- 
tered in 1888, to build a line of railroad from South Jackson- 
ville to Pablo Beach. The contract was awarded in October, 
1883, for a narrow gauge railroad, and grading commenced 
soon afterward. The road was completed in December, 1884. 
All of the parties to the enterprise were local people; the 
original officers were: J. Q. Burbridge, president; H. 8S. Ely, 
vice-president; J. M. Schumacher, treasurer. The company 
acquired 1,700 acres of land along the right-of-way as a land 
grant and it also owned a large tract at the ocean terminus. 
Its beach property was platted into lots and put on the mar- 
ket in November, 1884. This was the first development at 
Pablo Beach, and the Jacksonville & Atlantic, completed a 
month later, was the first railroad to the Jacksonville 
beaches.é 

Considerable impetus was given to Pablo as a resort in 
1886, by the building of Murray Hall hotel. About this time 
a competitor arose in the building of the Jacksonville, May- 
port & Pablo railway that had in view the development of 
Burnside Beach several miles north of Pablo. Both places 
suffered set-backs when the hotels at Burnside burned in 
1889 and Murray Hall a year later. The Jacksonville & At- 
lantic lost its depot and other property in the Murray Hall 
fire.é 

In the years following its completion officers and directors 
of the Jacksonville & Atlantic Railway Company changed a 
number of times. It had its financial difficulties, but its 
operation was continued. The Florida East Coast Railway 


ee ee 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 351 


Company acquired the Jacksonville & Atlantic railway in 
September, 1899, immediately changed the gauge to stand- 
ard and extended the line from Pablo to Mayport. The first 
Florida East Coast Railway train arrived at Pablo March 
8, 1900. 


Railway Bridge Across St. Johns River. 


Surveys for a bridge over the St. Johns River at Jack- 
sonville were begun in January, 1888; the newspapers here 
noted the fact, although they could not find out why the sur- 
vey was being made. Then came despatches from Washing- 
ton that parties unknown in Jacksonville were asking author- 
ity of Congress to bridge the St. Johns here. Nearly a year 
afterward announcement was made from St. Augustine that 
the Jacksonville, Tampa & Key West Railroad was the pro- 
moter and the J. T. & K. W. got the credit for a long time. 
H. M. Flagler was the actual builder of the bridge. 

Preliminary work for the substructure began in Febru- 
ary, 1889. Steel drums filled with concrete were sent down 
to rock bottom, in one instance 80 feet below water level. 
The plans called for an all-steel bridge costing $1,000,000. It 
was completed within a year, the first train crossing on Jan- 
uary 5, 1890. Many people were on the wharves for the 
novel sight of a train crossing the St. Johns River. The first 
through vestibuled train from the North (New York) crossed 
January 14, 1890. The opening of the bridge was not cele- 
brated in Jacksonville; St. Augustine, however, was agog 
over the event.¢ 

After 33 years of constant use the bridge was still service- 
able, but the requirements of the Florida East Coast Railway 
demanded a double-tracked bridge and the railroad is now 
building one. The permit called for a $2,000,000 structure. 
The first shovel of dirt for the new bridge was thrown in 
September, 1923; at the close of 1924 the work of construc- 
tion was still in progress. 

The new bridge is a separate construction and when com- 
pleted the pioneer will be demolished. 


Southern Railway 


Georgia, Southern & Florida Railway. 


The Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad Company was 
voted a charter by the Georgia Assembly September 28, 1881, 


352 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


to build a railroad from Macon to the Florida line. Nothing 
was done immediately under this charter, but when a rival 
company was organized which secured a Florida franchise, 
the two enterprises were merged and construction was begun 
in 1887. The route was from Macon to Palatka, and the line 
was completed and opened March 1, 1890." Before this, how- 
ever, the line had been completed between Macon and Lake 
City and a schedule opened to Jacksonville, the first train 
arriving here December 1, 1889. From Lake City to Jack- 
sonville the Georgia Southern & Florida operated over the 
tracks of the Florida Central & Peninsular Railroad. It was 
called the “Suwanee River Line to Florida’’. 

The Georgia Southern & Florida Railroad was built by 
the Macon Construction Company. After completing the 
line to Palatka this company embarked on other ambitious 
enterprises and met financial reverses, carrying the Georgia 
Southern & Florida down with it. The company went into 
the hands of a receiver on March 10, 1891, and was reorgan- 
ized May 22, 1895, as the Georgia Southern & Florida 
Railway Company. The trains of this road continued to come 
into Jacksonville over leased trackage until November lI, 
1902, when as a result of the purchase by the Southern Rail- 
way of the property of the Atlantic, Valdosta & Western Rail- 
way the Georgia Southern & Florida, now a part of the South- 
ern Railway system, was enabled to operate through trains 
from Macon to Jacksonville over its own tracks." 


Atlantic, Valdosta & Western Railway. 


In 1896-7, G. S. Baxter & Company acquired by purchase 
approximately 150,000 acres of timber lands in Clinch and 
Echols counties, southern Georgia. In order to develop these 
lands, it was necessary to build fifty miles of tram-road, 
which Baxter & Company proceeded to do, starting at a point 
on what was then the Plant System ten miles south of Du- 
pont. Here a station was erected and given the name Hay- 
low. Ten miles of tram-road were built from this point to 
the operations of the company in naval stores, cross-ties and 
lumber, but when the first shipment was offered to the Plant 
System at Haylow, that company demanded higher rates for 
hauling to different ports—Jacksonville, Fernandina, Bruns- 
wick and Savannah—-than Baxter & Company could afford 
to pay. Failure to secure more favorable rates resulted in 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 353 
the organizing and chartering of what afterward became 
the Atlantic, Valdosta & Western Railway.? 

Upon the failure of the negotiations with the Plant Sys- 
tem, Walton Ferguson, father of the junior partner of Bax- 
ter & Company, offered to furnish the money to build a rail- 
road from Haylow westward to Valdosta, 22 miles, and ex- 
tend it easterly 88 miles to Jacksonville, and for the equip- 
ment of the same. Construction of the road was placed in 
the hands of the resident partner of the firm, EK. C. Long. It 
was completed from Jacksonville to Valdosta in 1899, and 
opened for passenger service July 13, 1899. This was usually 
considered the best built and equipped road in Florida up to 
that time, and it was the first in the State to lay 70-lb. steel 
rails. Its rolling stock was first-class in every particular and 
thoroughly up-to-date. The engines were equipped with 
electric headlights, among the first, if not the first, used in 
this section of the country.? 

This road was named the Atlantic, Valdosta & Western. 
It proved to be a successful enterprise and opened a new field 
to both Valdosta and Jacksonville. The A. V. & W. Railway 
was sold to Samuel Spencer, president of the Southern Rail- 
way, in May, 1902, for an amount that was entirely satisfac- 
tory to the promoters of the enterprise. That part of the 
road between Valdosta and Grand Crossing (near Jackson- 
ville) was conveyed by Mr. Spencer to the Georgia Southern 
& Florida Railway Company, the Southern Railway gaining 
control of the G.S. & F. in the transfer. The balance of the 
property, from Grand Crossing into and around Jacksonville, 
was transferred to the St. Johns River Terminal Company.¢4 


Jacksonville, Mayport & Pablo Railway< 


With an idea of creating a fish and phosphate business 
from Mayport and at the same time develop a seaside resort 
at Burnside Beach (just north of the present Manhattan 
Beach) a company headed by Alexander Wallace as president 
and chief owner was chartered in 1886 to build a narrow 
gauge railroad from Arlington to Mayport and Burnside 
Beach. It was chartered as the Jacksonville, Mayport & 
Pablo Railway and Navigation Company. 

Grading for the roadbed began early in 1887. While this 
was in progress it was decided to change the gauge to stand- 
ard; the part between Burnside Beach and Mayport had al- 


$54 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ready been laid and had to be torn up and built over again. 
Work on the railroad was paid for in cash as it progressed 
and from that circumstance it was often referred to as the 
“Cash” road. On May 17, 1888, the road was opened with an 
excursion of Knights of Pythias. Returning that night the 
engine broke down six miles out of Arlington; the excursion- 
ists had to walk in and some of them did not reach Jackson- 
ville until late the next day. Somebody converted the 
initials “J. M. & P.” into “Jump Man and Push” railroad, a 
sobriquet that would not die. As a connecting link between 
Jacksonville and Arlington the steam ferryboat “Louise” was 
leased; her slip was at the foot of Market Street. 

Alexander Wallace died in 1889 and then the misfortunes 
of the railroad began to multiply. The expected business 
with Mayport did not materialize and on November 28, 1889, 
two hotels and the piers at Burnside Beach were destroyed 
by fire. In March, 1892, the property of the J. M. & P. was 
purchased by J. A. Russell, D. M. Youmans and H. Scott; a 
portion of the purchase money was paid in cash and the bal- 
ance in notes. The new owners immediately made plans to 
change the terminus from Arlington to South Jacksonville 
and they leased the steam ferry formerly operated by the 
J., ot. A. & H. R. Railroad to connect with it. The extension 
was completed and the first train left South Jacksonville for 
Burnside Beach July 9, 1898. 

In supplying much needed new equipment and making 
the extension to South Jacksonville the means of the new 
owners gave out; their notes fell due and remained unpaid. 
The administrator of the Wallace estate started suit; but in 
February, 1898, Archer Harman, who in the meantime had 
been made president of both the railroad and the ferry com- 
panies, brought in new money and funded the debts of the 
railroad. Litigation, however, was soon resumed and the 
road was placed in the hands of a receiver; then an agree- 
ment was reached and the receiver was discharged. But the 
respite was only temporary and trouble, marking the begin- 
ning of the end, arose again and the property, including rail- 
road, rolling stock, machinery and franchise, was sold at 
public outcry on September 2, 1895, to J. N. C. Stockton for 
$20,100. Operation of the railroad as a public carrier ceased 
in December, 1895, though the mail was delivered for some 
time afterward by means of a hand-car. So ended the prac- 


oe 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 355 


tical existence of the Jacksonville, Mayport & Pablo Railway 
& Navigation Company. After thirty years of abandonment 
the roadbed is still discernible and in places is in remarkably 
good condition. 


Waterfront Franchises—Downtown Business District 


Step by step, under various rights and franchises granted 
by the city, the Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central Railroad 
and its successors gradually pushed their tracks eastward 
and by 1878 they had reached Hogan Street.¢ Since then 
Hogan Street has remained the eastern boundary of the rail- 
road tracks in the viaduct section. 

An ordinance of the City Council, dated October 10, 1890, 
granted the proposed Santa Fe & St. Johns Railway a fran- 
chise to lay tracks along the entire length of waterfront from 
the western edge of the city eastward to Hogans Creek and 
beyond if desired. In order to avail itself of these privileges 
the railroad was required to complete the laying of these 
tracks within a period of six months. Owing to the condition 
of the money market at that time the railroad could not 
finance its proposition and although an extension of one year 
was granted the franchise was allowed to lapse.¢ 

By ordinance of the city council November 26, 1900, Wal- 
ton Ferguson et al., owners of the Atlantic, Valdosta & West- 
ern Railway, were granted a franchise to lay tracks along 
the waterfront from Catherine Street westward to Hogan 
Street and as a consideration they were required to bulkhead 
and keep in repair the foot of the streets crossed by the tracks. 
This franchise was granted for 50 years.‘ The tracks were 
laid between Catherine and Main Streets. When the A. V. 
& W. Railway Company sold its holdings to Samuel Spencer, 
president of the Southern Railway, in 1902, this franchise 
was included in the sale; it was then transferred by Mr. 
Spencer to the St. Johns River Terminal Company,? a holding 
of the Southern Railway, and the tracks from Grand Cross- 
ing into and around Jacksonville and along South Bay Street 
to Main Street are still operated by the same interests. 

With the exception of the two blocks between Main and 
Hogan Streets, practically the entire riverfront from Hogans 
Creek to McCoys Creek is affected by railroad tracks and 
franchises. 


356 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Railroad Depots 


The depot of the old Florida, Atlantic & Gulf Central 
Railroad was on the western edge of town near the inter- 
section of the present Adams and Clay Streets. It was not 
a depot, but only a platform without even a shed, and the 
officials had no trouble in keeping it clear of freight and bag- 
gage, for there was but one arrival and one departure of 
trains in 24 hours.” After the War Between the States the 
railroad terminus was extended and a small depot erected at 
the foot of Julia Street. When the 8S. F. & W. came into 
Jacksonville in 1881, its terminus and depot were near the 
waterfront east of the present Broad Street viaduct with a 
spur out on a dock where oranges and other fruits were 
loaded directly into the cars from the river boats.” About 
this time the F. & J. was built and its depot was on East Bay 
Street a little west of Hogans Creek. The J.T. & K. W. depot 
was near the mouth of McCoys Creek, as was that of the J., 
St. A. & H. R. after the railroad bridge was built. The depot 
at Julia Street was moved to the foot of Hogan Street and the 
KF, R.& N. built a cut-off or belt line from the F. & J. so that 
the passenger trains of the F. & J., which was then a part of 
the F. R. & N., could come into the Hogan Street depot; this 
belt line was opened September 27, 1886. This was the depot 
situation when the union depot was built.¢ 


The movement for a union station in Jacksonville was 
started by H. M. Flagler when on July 24, 1890, he bought 
the property then known as the Burch property from John 
Bensinger. The public did not know of this purchase until 
May 5, 1893, when the deed was filed for record and after 
the railroads had united in an agreement to build a union 
depot on the site. They secured a charter in 1893 as the 
Jacksonville Terminal Company: H. M. Flagler (J., St. A. & 
I. R.), president; H. B. Plant (S. F. & W.), vice-president; 
H. R. Duval (F.C. & P.), treasurer; J. R. Parrott, secretary. 
The J.T. & K. W. at this time was in the hands of a receiver.é 
The location was low marsh land and 300,000 cubic yards of 
earth were hauled in to reclaim it. McCoys Creek was di- 
verted by a great ditch. More than 2,100 piles were driven 
for a foundation, some of them to a depth of 70 feet. The 
cost of this preliminary work was $100,000. Work on the 
train shed was begun in the summer of 1894, but when the 
framing was all up it was blown down during a hurricane on 








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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 357 


September 26, 1894, and the work had to be done over again. 
Though not entirely completed the shed was opened to trains 
February 4, 1895. It was an enormous structure one-fifth of 
a mile long by 520 feet wide, with a transcept 168x40 feet. 
The contract for the brick depot was let in June, 1896, to 
S. 8S. Leonard for $58,000. The building was completed Jan- 
uary 15, 1897, and covered 325x120 feet. This station served 
the traveling public for nearly a quarter of a century and for 
many years had the distinction of being the largest depot in 
the South. The wear and tear of years began to tell on this 
pile of brick and our present station grew out of a public 
demand for a more presentable depot for Jacksonville, as well 
as @ More commodious one.¢ 

Considerable wrangling arose in connection with the loca- 
tion of the new depot, as the city tried to force the railroads 
to change the site to one west of Myrtle Avenue. The change 
would have entailed an enormous additional expense on the 
Terminal Company and the railroads and they fought the 
proposition in the courts and before the railroad commission, 
and won. When these matters were settled plans were drawn 
for the present station, which included the preservation of 
most of the old brick depot fronting Bay Street. The land now 
covered by the concrete approach was then owned by private 
parties and was built up with brick buildings to Lee Street; 
the Terminal Company purchased this land and tore down 
the buildings in order to provide a suitable approach for the 
new station. Work was then started on relaying the tracks 
and rebuilding the sheds, work on the new depot having 
started in the meantime. The completed station was thrown 
open to the public at 12:01 a. m. November 17, 1919, the 
occasion being marked by no celebration. The 14 sandstone 
columns in front form an imposing entrance to the main 
waiting room, which is 125 feet long by 80 feet wide, with a 
dome 70 feet above the floor. The main building is con- 
structed of Tennessee marble and cost $750,000. The total 
cost of the improvement including trackage, sheds and pur- 
chases was $1,300,000.¢ 

seg REA a Chapter XVIII 

aMemoirs of Florida, FP. Fleming, 1902; bDiary of O. L. Keene, resident of 
Jacksonville at the time; a W. M. Bostwick, resident of Jacksonville at the time ; 
dReports of Federal army officers; eCorporate history of S. A. L., C. R. Capps, vice- 
pres.; fJ. R. Kenly, president A. C. L.; gLocal newspaper account published at the 
time ; ” hFlorida Weekly Dispatch, 1880-81 ; tHistory of A. C. L., H. D. Dozier, 1920; 
iE. S. Spencer, Gen. Mer., J. & S. W. Ry.; kCentennial Ps ‘of Macon (Ga.) Tele- 


graph ; mJ. E. Ingraham, vice-pres. Florida East Coast Ry.; gE. C. Long; sPaul Brown’s 
“Book of Jacksonville’, 1895; ‘Terms of City ordinance ; ean Loftin, Gen. Counsel, 
Oe COS ae 


358 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XIX 


RIVER NAVIGATION 
Early Steamboats 


The first steamer to ply the waters of the St. Johns River 
and the first in Florida was the George Washington, in 1830.° 
In 1834 the steamer Florida was running more or less regu- 
larly between Savannah and Picolata on the St. Johns. The 
Essayon carried troops and supplies up and down the river 
during the Seminole war.’ Along in the 1840’s, the Sarah 
Spaulding plied between Jacksonville and Lake Monroe. 
This was a high-pressure boat and she made a fearful noise 
while in operation. She was often used for near-by excur- 
sions on the river, and occasionally went to Fernandina by 
the inside route. Her accommodations comprised eight 
berths, four on each side, opening into the saloon, but pro- 
vided with curtains that could be drawn as a means of sep- 
aration.? The General Clinch ran between the St. Johns and 
Savannah in 1842. Then the Thorn made her appearance 
on the river, running to Palatka.” 

The Darlington came in 1852, and up to the time of the 
war was the regular boat between Jacksonville and Enter- 
prise. The Darlington was perhaps the best known of the 
early river boats. She was built in South Carolina in 1849, 
and for a time ran up the Pedee river into Darlington Dis- 
trict, hence her name.2 She was captured by the United 
States forces at the draw-bridge near Fernandina, in 1862, 
and remained in their possession until the close of the war, 
being used most of the time as a transport vessel. In 1857 
the steamers Hattie Brock, Zephyr and William Barnett 
began running as up-river boats. The William Barnett met 
with disaster in about a year, when her boiler exploded, kill- 
ing her captain and a number of other persons.’ The Hattie 
Brock was captured far up the river by a Federal gunboat 
in 1864; she was confiscated, and sold in 1866,¢ but after the 
war she ran on the river as one of the Brock Line. 


The Savannah Line 


About 1845 a regular line between the St. Johns and 
Savannah was inaugurated. The pioneer vessels of this 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA ~~ 359 


service were the Ocmulgee, St. Matthews, and William Gas- 
ton. The William Gaston was taken off this run in 1854, 
and was then used as a river boat. She towed many rafts 
up and down the river, and it was a peculiarity of her captain, 
Charles Willey, as soon as he rounded Commodore’s Point 
or Grassy Point, which was usually late in the night, to begin 
to sound his whistle and keep it blowing until he had reached 
his landing, to the great annoyance of midnight sleepers in 
Jacksonville.’ 

In 1851 two new steamers were put on the Savannah run 
—the Welaka and the Magnolia. The Magnolia ran only a 
short time, when her boiler exploded while she was off St. 
Simon’s Island, Ga., killing her captain, William T. McNelty. 
A few years later the Welaka was wrecked on the St. Johns 
bar. These vessels were replaced by the Seminole and the 
St. Johns, both of which likewise met with disaster, each in 
turn being burned at her dock at Jacksonville. The hull of 
the St. Johns was raised and rebuilt, and she ran on the 
same route until 1862; after the war she ran under the name 
of Helen Getty.® 

The last of the early boats built for this line was the 
St. Marys, in 1857.2 In February, 1864, the St. Marys, while 
loading cotton, was blockaded in McGirts Creek by the Fed- 
eral gunboat Norwich, and to prevent capture was sunk there 
by her crew.‘ She had escaped capture on a previous occa- 
sion by dodging into Trout Creek just as the United States 
gunboat that was looking for her came up the river. The 
St. Marys then came out, went down the river, and out to 
sea, bound for Nassau, N. P.¢ The St. Marys lay buried in 
McGirts Creek until March, 1865, when she was raised, re- 
built,¢ and eventually placed on her old run under the name 
of Nick King. 


The Charleston Steamers 


In 1851, the Florida began running regularly between 
Palatka, Jacksonville, and Charleston. Two years later the 
Carolina was put on, and in 1857, the Everglade, then the 
Cecile, and a short time before the war the Gordon and the 
Calhoun. The Gordon became famous as the vessel on which 
the Confederate commissioners ran the blockade at Charles- 
ton and proceeded to Havana.? 


860 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


In 1860 a party of Jacksonville people bought a steamer 
with the intention of starting a line between Jacksonville and 
New York. This vessel, the Flambeau, was bought in the 
North. She was put on the ways for repairs, but the war 
came on and the enterprise was abandoned, the stockholders 
losing what they had put into it.f A Federal gunboat by this 
name operated in Southern waters during the war? and it is 
not improbable that she was the same vessel that the Jack- 
sonville people had bought in 1860. 

In the early days, the steamers burned lightwood knots 
for fuel, and a great volume of dense black smoke was 
emitted from their stacks. Some idle person was generally 
on the lookout, and when the smoke of a steamer was seen, 
he would start the cry, “Steamboat, steamboat, coming round 
the point,’’ when the inhabitants would collect at the wharf, 
to hear the latest news. The arrival of a steamer in those 
days was an event of much importance.4 


After the War 


The Federal gunboats swept the St. Johns clear of river 
steamboats, but when peace was declared a few of the old- 
timers found their way back into the trade. The Darlington 
returned and was the pioneer boat on the river for many 
years. The Hattie Brock came back; likewise the St. Johns, 
renamed Helen Getty, and the St. Marys, renamed Nick 
King.’ The Robert Lear was the first boat to Enterprise after 
the war. Soon other boats made their appearance, gradually 
increasing in numbers until in the early 1880’s the river 
fairly swarmed with them, carrying passengers up and down 
the river or loaded to the gunwales with freight. The orange 
trees set out after the war on the estates up the river had 
come into full bearing, and as there were no railroads south 
of Jacksonville, this was a lucrative business for the river 
boats. They played their part, and a most important one, 
too, in the development of Jacksonville, as they made the St. 
Johns River into a pulsating artery of trade, furnishing the 
only means of transportation for freight and passengers to 
a large portion of the peninsula. 

The spirit of rivalry among some of the steamboat lines 
developed a number of passenger boats the equal of those 
anywhere in the United States. The John Sylvester and the 
Sylvan Glen were very fast boats belonging to different lines. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 361 


Their schedule to Palatka was the same and each round-trip 
was a race from which they frequently returned only a few 
minutes apart. The passengers entered into the spirit of 
these races with the greatest enthusiasm, and accounts of 
these exciting incidents, sometimes from the pen of nation- 
ally prominent people, often appeared in the Northern press.’ 
We read “Hundreds of pecple go to the wharves to see the 
steamboats off. Strains of music fill the air and all is hurry 
and bustle. Just as the minute hand of the clock reaches the 
hour of departure, they are off; the music grows fainter and 
fainter as it recedes, and the crowds return to the fashion- 
able promenade on Bay Street, to assemble again the next 
day”.’ Everything was done for the interest and pleasure 
of the passengers, even the negro deck hands collected at 
night to sing their quaint, weird song's and lullabies for the 
entertainment of the tourists aboard.' The Northern visitors 
returned to their homes carrying with them lasting dream- 
like recollections of these trips on the historic St. Johns.’ 

With the building of the railroads southward from Jack- 
sonville the passenger boats, one by one, were sent away to 
other waters.’ 


The D. H. Mount 


In 1865 the D. H. Mount started running between New 
York and Jacksonville, but on her second voyage from New 
York she was lost, presumably off Hatteras on October 28, 
1865. There were 23 persons on board bound for Florida, 
among them some prominent Jacksonville people, including 
S. L. Burritt, and Mrs. J. C. Greeley and son. Nothing was 
ever heard of the Mount and all of her passengers perished.” 

The following is a list of boats that have plied the St. 
Johns since the war.+ At one time or another, some of these 
boats were attached to different lines, hence the duplication 
of names in the list. . 


Jacksonville-Savannah Service 


This service was resumed after the close of the war. 
The boats that ran on this line were Helen Getty (old St. 
Johns), Lizzie Baker, Sylvan Shore (New York-Harlem 





{Credit to Captain H. D. DeGrove (President of Independent Line of Steamers) for 
the greater part of this information. 


7 wr 
MT LN 
\ \\y Ne Z 


tlh 





Saloon of a St. Johns River Steamboat, 1884. 


From a drawing in Webb’s History of Florida. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 363 


boat), and Nick King (old St. Marys).° This was called the 
“Outside Line” and was discontinued when the “Inside Line”’ 
was inaugurated on October 19, 1877, the City of Bridgetown 
making the initial trip. Other boats of this line were: David 
Clark, Carrie, Darlington, Katie, Reliance, Florida, St. Nicho- 
las. This service was discontinued after several years of 
operation. 


Jacksonville-Charleston Line 


About the time the Jacksonville-Savannah Outside Line 
was started a line was put on to Charleston. The first boats 
were: Lizzie Baker, City Point, Dictator, Charleston.’ These 
were followed by St. Johns, City of Palatka, City of Monti- 
cello (formerly City of Norfolk). The operation of the Jack- 
sonville-Charleston line continued until the Clyde New York- 
Jacksonville service started in 1886. 


Brock Line 


In 1867 the Brock Line of river boats was organized and 
included: Florence, Darlington, Hattie Brock. After Cap- 
tain Brock’s death some years later, his boats were sold in 
1881 in the settlement of his estate.’ 


Pioneer Line 


When the Brock Line ceased the Pioneer automatically 
became the oldest line on the river.? It was composed of 
small boats for service up the river: Arrow, Volusia, Fox, 
and Daylight. 


DeBary-Baya Merchants Line 


The DeBary Line originated in 1876, when at the request 
of the public Frederick DeBary started the George M. Bird 
as a passenger boat between Enterprise and Jacksonville. 
Prior to this, Mr. DeBary, who owned a fine estate on Lake 
Monroe, used the George M. Bird as a transport for his 
horses and dogs up and down the river on hunting expedi- 
tions, or for fishing trips.” The contract for carrying the 
mails was awarded to him in 1880, and two other steamboats 
were added. From time to time others were put on, until 
the DeBary Line constituted the largest on the river. 


364 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Captain H. T. Baya also had brought together a line of 
fine steamboats established in 1878, and the two lines came 
in close competition with each other. This brought about a 
consolidation in March, 1883, under the name of DeBary- . 
Baya Merchants Line. 

The DeBary steamboats: Geo. M. Bird, Rosa, Fannie 
Duggan, Welaka, Everglade, Anita (formerly Florence), 
Frederick DeBary, City of Jacksonville. 

The Baya Line: Spitfire, Georgea, Gazelle, Water Lily, 
Pastime, Magnolia, Sylvan Glen, H. T. Baya. 

In the consolidation some of these boats were released 
to other lines. The DeBary-Baya line was absorbed by the 
Clyde interests in June, 1889, and became the Clyde St. Johns 
River Line. The City of Jacksonville and the Frederick De- 
Bary were retained for this service. The DeBary was re- 
placed by the Osceola January 8, 1914./ 


Jacksonville-Palatka Daylight Line 


Most of the boats of this line were fast boats for their 
day. The line was inaugurated in 1876, when the Hampton 
made the first trip. The boats from first to last were: Hamp- 
ton, General Sedgewick, J. B. Schuyler, Cygnus, George R. 
Kelsey, John Sylvester, Eliza Hancox, H. T. Baya, Sylvan 
Glen, Vigilant. 


People’s (Plant System) Line 


Inaugurated in 1883, by the Plant System of Railways 
to connect the terminals at Jacksonville and Sanford. It 
was a fine fleet comprising: H. B. Plant (first all-steel 
steamer built in United States): Margaret (formerly Geo. 
R. Kelsey), Chattahoochee, Jennie Lane, H. B. Plant No. 2. 
When the railroad terminals were later connected by rail 
the passenger boats of the People’s Line were taken off the 
run and sent elsewhere. 


Jacksonville-Green Cove Springs Line 


Enterprise, Mary Draper, Euphemia, Port Royal, Flora, 
Captain Miller, Manatee, James E. Stevens, Florence Wither- 
bee, May Garner, Magnolia. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 365 


Jacksonville-Crescent City Line 


Flora, Euphemia, Erie, Crescent City (formerly Harry 
Hill), Governor Safford, Georgea, Pilot Boy, Crescent, Clif- 
ton, Cliveden, Attaquin, Star. 


Palatka-Crescent City Line 


Escort, Princess, Lavinia, Mary Draper, Harry Lee, Put- 
nam, Comet, Eulalia. 


Spring Garden Line 


Clifton, Daylight, Picolata, City of Georgetown, Spring 
Garden. 


Jacksonville-New Smyrna Line (Outside) 


Greenwich, Fearless, Athlete. 


Jacksonville-Middleburg Line 
Twilight, Pioneer, Gertrude Dudley, Heck. 


Jacksonville-Mayport-Fort George Island Line 


Edith, Rockaway, Silver Spring, Mary Draper, City of 
Brunswick, Pope Catlin, Mayport, Kate Spencer, David 
Kemps, May Garner, Thos. Collier II, Mabel F., Gazelle, 
Water Lily, Falcon, Hessie, Nell. 


River Tugs and Tow Boats 


Islander, Cracker Boy, Flora Temple, Rosa II, Mary How- 
ard, Magnet, Louise, Homer, Twilight, Trojan, H. M. C. 
Smith, Philadelphia, Robert Turner, Ruby, Neptune, The 
Barnett, Sadie, Hoo-Hoo, Howland, Ruth E., L. H. Pelton, 
St. Johns, Volunteer, Lavinia, Bertha Ritta, Cadillac, Frank, 
R. L. Mabey, Oyster Boy, Seth Low, J. E. Stevens, Kate 
Spencer, Admiral Dewey, Three Friends (gained wide noto- 
riety as Cuban filibuster), Mascotte, Biscayne, Godfrey 
Keebler, Billow, Annie H., Kate Cannon, Bullfrog, Arctic, 
I. R. Staples, Dauntless (famous filibuster), Alexander 
Jones, Harold, S. S. Brewster, Martha Helen, Bona Cord, 
Redwing, Katherine, Catherine G., Sadie, Tupper. 


366 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Independent Boats 


Camusi, Chesapeake, Clayton, Belle of the Coast, Emmit 
Small, Farmer, Governor Worth, Lawrence, Mermaid, Mys- 
tic, Missoe, Orange Maid, Queen of the St. Johns, Santee, 
Sappho, Swan, Thos. Collier I, U. S. Grant, W. T. Wheeless. 


Ocklawaha River Boats 


These were strange craft built expressly for navigation 
on the Ocklawaha River. They were propelled by a small 
recess wheel built in the stern to protect it from snags, and 
it is probable that no such construction was used anywhere 
else in the world. The boats were: Okahumkee, Forrester, 
Tuskawilla, Osceola, Marion, Ocklawaha, Alligator, Astatula, 
Lollie Boy, Mary Howard, Matemora, Silver Spring, Wekiwa, 
Waunita, Hiawatha. 


Ferryboats at Jacksonville 


The Topsy and the Fanny Fern were ferryboats running 
to different landings near Jacksonville in the late 1860’s and 
early 1870’s.c The Louise was a ferry connecting railroad 
terminals at Tocoi and West Tocoi; afterward between Jack- 
sonville and the J. M. P. Railway terminus at Arlington. 
Uncle Sam was the car ferry between Jacksonville and the 
terminus of the J., St. A. & H. R. Railway at South Jack- 
sonville./ 

The regular steam ferry boats between Jacksonville and 
South Jacksonville in the order of their service were: Arms- 
mear, Mechanic, Ravenswood, Commodore Barney, Duval, 
Dixieland (small naphtha), South Jacksonville. 

Nearly all of the St. Johns River boats became famous 
locally in one way or another; some had a wider sphere of 
celebrity, and a few were known throughout the United 
States. The fate of a large number of them was one of dis- 
aster and their remains lie scattered from the bar to the far 
upper reaches of the river and along the coast from Bruns- 
wick to New Smyrna. When the waterfront of South Jack- 
sonville was bulkheaded and filled in, the remnants of many 
of them were covered up, as that was a favorite dumping- 
ground for those worn out in service. All left a history in- 
terwoven with romance—the romance of the St. Johns River. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 367 


The Mallory Line 


In 1878, the government began dredging work at the 
mouth of the river to deepen the channel at the bar. With 
this improvement the Mallory Line opened a steamer service 
to Jacksonville, on November 5, 1878, when the Western 
Texas came in. This was the largest vessel that had ever 
entered the river up to that time and her arrival was marked 
by a great celebration in Jacksonville. The completion of 
the Fernandina & Jacksonville railroad in 1881 caused the 
abandonment of the service in April of that year. The 
steamers engaged in the Jacksonville service were: Western 
Texas, City of Dallas, City of San Antonio.’ 


Clyde Line Passenger Service’ 


The first steamer of the Clyde Line, the Cherokee, Cap- 
tain Leo Vogel, steamed up the river Thanksgiving Day, 
November 25, 1886, amidst the boom of Wilson’s battery and 
a boisterous welcome by river craft. The arrival of the big 
steamer was celebrated by a banquet and a general jubilee. 
The line opened with one ship a week, the Cherokee and the 
Seminole being assigned for this purpose. The Seminole’s 
first arrival was on December 1, 1886. 

During the yellow fever epidemic of 1888, the Clyde serv- 
ice was discontinued for three months. At its close in De- 
cember, the service was resumed and two new ships were 
added, the Iroquois and the Yemassee, with a schedule of two 
sailings a week. The Delaware was assigned to the Jackson- 
ville service for the winter of 1889-90, and a schedule of three 
sailings a week was maintained during that winter. The 
Algonquin was built and placed in the service, her first ar- 
rival being on October 3, 1890. The Comanche arrived on 
December 7, 1895. These additions gave Jacksonville a per- 
manent schedule of three sailings a week to Charleston and 
New York. In 1901, the Apache and the Arapahoe were 
both built and placed on the line, the Apache arriving on her 
maiden voyage June 22, and the Arapahoe on August 5. In 
1905, the Huron was converted from a freighter and placed 
on the passenger run for a number of years. Then the Mo- 
hawk came, making her first entrance into port November 
10, 1908, just 20 years after the inauguration of the service, 
and again the occasion was celebrated. Last in the list was 


868 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


the Lenape, the queen of the fleet; her first arrival was on 
January 24, 1918. 

For years the Clyde Line maintained two docks at Jack- 
sonville, one at the foot of Hogan Street and the other at 
Washington Street. The Hogan Street pier was burned 
September 15, 1889, but was rebuilt and enlarged. These 
piers becoming inadequate, nearly two blocks of riverfront 
between Washington and Market Streets were acquired, and 
on July 7, 1910, the preliminary work on new terminals was 
begun. These piers, each 150x450 feet, were constructed 
at a cost of $500,000 complete. They were opened May 15, 
1911, with the docking of the Arapahoe. Docking for six 
ships at a time is afforded. Two of these piers were greatly 
damaged by fire April 8, 1917, entailing a loss of $189,000; 
they were immediately rebuilt. The Clyde Line has been an 
important factor in the growth and development of Jackson- 
ville. 


Merchants and Miners Line’ 


The announcement early in 1909, that the Merchants and 
Miners Transportation Company had decided to extend its 
Baltimore-Savannah line to Jacksonville, created a great deal 
of interest here. The service was opened with the arrival 
of the Merrimack on June 21, 1909. J.C. Whitney, president, 
and other high officials of the company were aboard; they 
were given a banquet by the Board of Trade, and the oc- 
casion was celebrated in other ways with much enthusiasm. 

The service opened with three sailings a week, the first 
vessels arriving: Merrimack, June 21; Cretan, June 22; In- 
dian, June 25; Chatham, June 27; Itasca, June 29. The 
Itasca was supplanted by the Parthian, which arrived on 
July 18, 1909. 

A series of mishaps befell the M. & M. ships in 1910. The 
Chatham, while attempting to enter the river in a dense fog, 
went on the north jetty January 14, 1910, and became a total 
wreck; there was no loss of life. The Quantico, taking the 
place of the Chatham, ran on a sand-bar near Mayport on her 
maiden voyage January 26, 1910; she was floated off on the 
next tide without damage. OnFebruary 16, 1910, the Parthian 
rammed and sank the steamer Magic City off Pilot Town. 
There have been no accidents to the ships of this service 
since then. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 369 


Early in 1911 the M. & M. terminals on East Bay Street 
near Hogans Creek were enlarged and on May 27, 1911, the 
Jacksonville-Philadelphia line was opened with the arrival of 
the Berkshire. This service was opened with the Berkshire 
and the Lexington; in the winter the Indian was added, pro- 
viding two sailings a week to Philadelphia, which in 1912 
was increased to three, and with three sailings to Baltimore, 
the M. & M. provided six sailings a week from Jacksonville. 

Among the ships that have had regular service between 
Jacksonville and Baltimore and Philadelphia may be men- 
tioned: Merrimack, Cretan, Indian, Chatham, Itaska, Par- 
thian, Quantico, Essex, Lexington, Suwanee, Somerset, 
Berkshire, Tucsan, Frederick, Persian, Dorchester, Ontario, 
Nantucket, Powhatan, Gioucester, Juanita, Allegheny. 


Fate of Some of the St. Johns River Boats” 


Alexander Jones—Wrecked on the Florida east coast. Anita 
—Went North in 1889 and was burned at Boston. Armsmear 
—Burned at Palatka, where she was running as a ferryboat 
at the time. Arrow—Sank at South Jacksonville. Athlete— 
Burned en route to New Smyrna February 12, 1886. Belle 
of the Coasi—Burned at Carrollton, La., January 8, 1897. 
Bertha Ritta—Burned off Black Point February 25, 1911. 
Cadillac—Sank at Palatka. Camusi—Burned at Palatka, Jan- 
uary 26, 1894. Catherine G.—Sank above Palatka. City of 
Brunswick-—Caught fire at her dock at Mayport, 1898; was 
cut loose, drifted up to St. Johns Bluff, where she sank. City 
of Jacksonville—Wrecked at Portsmouth, N. C., September 
19, 1899; was afterward reclaimed and put back into service. 
City of Sanford—Burned off Point LaVista at 4 a.m. April 24, 
1882, with loss of eight lives. Comet—Sank at Crescent City. 
Commodore Barney—Sank at her slip at foot of Newnan Street 
in September, 1901; remained there several months; was 
raised, towed over to the railroad bridge, where her remains 
now lie. Darlington—Career closed by boiler explosion near 
Savannah. David Clark—Burned at Fernandina October 7, 
1889. David Kemps—Burned on Black Creek June 18, 1897. 
Escort—Burned near Palatka. Euphemia—Stranded on shores 
of Dunn’s Lake, where her hull was in evidence many years. 
Everglade—Burned at Jacksonville. Fannie Duggan—Stranded 
in Lake Monroe in 1885. Florence Witherbee—Went to New 
Orleans; struck a snag, sank and was left on the bottom. 


570 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Frederick DeBary—Burned at her Laura Street slip December 
3, 1883; was rebuilt; finally went to Tampa and renamed 
City of Tampa. Gazelle—Burned in 1877; rebuilt and went 
North. Georgea—Burned on St. Johns River. H. B. Plant l— 
Burned at Lake Beresford April 29, 1890; three negro deck 
hands drowned. Hampton—Started for South America and 
was lost in a storm. Harry Lee—Sank near Palatka. How- 
land.—Sank at South Jacksonville; never raised. Jsis—Sank 
in Lake George November 6, 1882, with loss of three lives. 
J. E. Stevens—Burned at Mayport July 26,1894. Kate Spencer 
—Foundered on Sapelo bar (Ga.) July 6, 1898. Lizzie Baker— 
Wrecked in north channel at mouth of St. Johns in April, 
1880. Louise—Ferryboat; struck a snag and sank in St. 
Johns River February 16, 1890; negro deck hand drowned; 
was raised and afterward burned at Arlington. Margaret— 
Wrecked near Cape Henry September 29, 1895. Mary Draper 
—Was sunk in a collision with Kate Spencer; raised, went to 
Charleston where she was burned and rebuilt three times; 
a remarkable boat and is still in service. Martha Helen— 
Burned at foot of Ocean Street February 6, 1910; engineer 
burned to death. Mascott—Wrecked on Cumberland Beach 
March 29, 1893. Mayport—Caught fire at her dock at May- 
port December 22, 1898; was cut loose and drifted out to sea 
burning. Mechanic—Ferryboat; wore out in service and lies 
buried under the South Jacksonville waterfront. Mermaid— 
Burned at Jacksonville. Oyster Boy—Burned at mouth of 
Trout Creek. Pastime—Sank at Tampa. Pelton—-Lost in 
storm while at work on over-sea railroad at Key West. Port 
Royal—Sank at Green Cove Springs; was raised, towed to 
Jacksonville and burned here while undergoing repairs, Octo- 
ber 31, 1887. Ravenswood—Ferryboat; burned at her slip in 
South Jacksonville January 138, 1895. Red Wing—Sank near 
Jacksonville. Reliance—Went down between Jacksonville and 
Savannah as a result of boiler explosion. Robert Turner—Lost 
at sea near Savannah. Seth Low—Burned at mouth of Trout 
Creek; her remains and those of the Oyster Boy lie side by 
side. Star—Burned on Crescent Lake. Starlight—Burned at 
Sanford May 11, 1878; her crew and passengers had a nar- 
row escape. 7rojan—Burned near Green Cove Springs March 
2, 1903. Twilight—Sank in Black Creek July 31, 1887, Engi- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 371 


neer Grant Connor drowned; boat was raised and rebuilt in 
1890. Volusia—Destroyed by boiler explosion at her slip at 
foot of Newnan Street December 2, 1882. 


Bibliography, Chapter XIX 


aHistorical sketch in Jacksonville city directory, 1870; bMemoirs of Florida, Flem- 
ing; cSt. Augustine Herald, published in 1834; dMrs. W. M. Bostwick; eWar of Rebel- 
lion, Official Records, etc.; fO. L. Keene; gDr. J. C. L’Engle; hJ. C. Greeley ; iCapt. H. 
D. DeGrove; j;Newspaper files; kAncient, Colonial and Modern Florida, Welsh; /Rec- 
ords of the Clyde Line; mHistory of Florida, Webb; nDates taken from notices in loca! 
newspapers. 


372 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XX 
URBAN TRANSPORTATION 


The first wheeled vehicles in this vicinity were the ox- 
carts and stage hacks of the pioneer period. The first 
wheeled vehicle that Jacksonville could claim as strictly its 
own was a dray driven by a venerable colored man named 
Sam Reed and drawn by as venerable a mule named John. 
This combination not only did the draying for the town, but 
it was also the town hearse in the early 1850’s. Rowboats 
supplied the place of carriages; otherwise the people rode 
horseback or walked. The rowboat came into its own for 
marooning parties and picnics under the trees on the banks 
of the beautiful St. Johns. The sulky and the buggy were 
here before the War Between the States; but the saddle horse 
as a means of getting about never lost its prestige. There 
was a Spirit of sport involved in this, too, which attained such 
popularity that we find the Aldermen of Jacksonville in 1857 
promulgating an ordinance prohibiting horse-racing on the 
streets of the town. 

The omnibus and the street hack made their appearance 
soon after the war. Then came wagons and drays in number, 
and buggies and carriages for pleasure driving were without 
novelty on the streets; but one day in the winter of 1869-70 
there drove into town a vehicle that caused the people to stop 
and gaze. This outfit was a high two-seated surrey of the 
then latest type, drawn tandem by high-spirited perfectly 
matched bob-tailed bays whose harness shone with decora- 
tions like polished gold and was strung with bells like the 
sleigh-bells of the North. It was the hobby of Charles Mau- 
rice Camille, Marquis de Talleyrand-Perigord, who in 1869 
bought the old Miliwood place northeast of Jacksonville. He 
spent several winters here and always drove about in spec- 
tacular style. The Talleyrand section derives its name from 
him. 


Street Cars 


The Jacksonville Horse Railroad Company was chartered 
in December, 1875, for the purpose of inaugurating a street 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 3873 


car system here. Construction was started, but owing to 
financial and other difficulties the company allowed its fran- 
chise to lapse. 


The Jacksonville Street Railway Company, composed of 
H. B. Plant and associates, was incorporated December 23, 
1879, and the City Council passed an ordinance January 14, 
1880, granting the company a franchise to lay its tracks on 
Bay, Catherine, Duval, Hogan, Forsyth and Julia Streets. 
The line was opened in the fall of 1880. Finding that it did 
not pay to run cars on Catherine, Duval and Forsyth Streets, 
the tracks on these streets were removed with the consent 
of the Council. The line was then extended toward East 
Jacksonville and to the Fair Grounds in Fairfield; then on 
Hogan from Bay to Beaver, thence west to Clay. The barns 
were where they are now, in Brooklyn. The schedule was 
“once every 30 minutes” and the price of a ride 5 cents. The 
locomotive was a mule, popularly called a “hay-burner”’. A 
mule’s bray is not usually considered sweet music, but such 
announcement of the approaching “rapid transit” was a 
comforting sound to the patiently waiting citizen of Jackson- 
ville in the 1880’s. 


Pine (Main) Street Line: In 1882 a company was chartered 
to build a street car line on Pine Street from Bay to what is 
now Eighth Street in Springfield, then considered far out in 
the woods. The line was completed and put into operation 
within a year by B. Upton. In August, 1884, the line was 
leased to G. A. Backenstoe, and the new owner set to work 
improving it and sawdusted the street to the terminus in 
Springfield, where he built a skating rink, dinner hall and 
restaurant with a view to making the terminus an attractive 
resort. It did not pay, however, and the property was taken 
over by S. B. Hubbard and associates, who were then develop- 
ing Springfield. The line soon after this was extended east 
on Eighth Street to Walnut, to First, to Pine—the same loop 
that exists today. 


Jacksonville and LaVilla Street Railway: The company 
that built this line was organized in April, 1884. Tracks were 
laid on Newnan Street from Bay to Forsyth; thence on For- 
syth to Laura, to Adams, and west on Adams to Myrtle 
Avenue, the terminus being at Burch’s brickyard. The line 
was opened January 24, 1885, with a big celebration. It was 


374 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


in operation about a year, when it was absorbed by the Jack- 
sonville Street Railway Company. The tracks east of Bridge 
(Broad) Street were taken up and the tracks of the Jackson- 
ville Street Railway extended up Bridge from Bay to Adams 
and connected with the tracks on Adams Street running to 
the brickyard in LavVilla. 


Jacksonville and Suburban Railway: The city approved 
the charter of the company that built this line July 1, 1884, 
and the line was completed that winter. The route was on 
Ocean Street from Bay to Duval; thence to Washington, to 
Union, east on Union beyond the old City Cemetery, and 
north to Campbell’s Addition, the line being built primarily 
to develop that property. It was operated with two mule 
cars and a 20-minute schedule, fare 5 cents. This line was in 
operation about two years, when it was probably purchased 
by the Jacksonville Street Railway Company. The tracks on 
Ocean Street were removed and laid on Newnan Street. 

From these four crude mule car lines developed the street 
railway system of Jacksonville today. 

The Plant Investment Company acquired the property of 
its last competitor, the Main (Pine) Street Railway Company, 
in April, 1900, and changed the gauge of the latter to stand- 
ard (in 1901) as required by a city ordinance. The Plant 
Investment Company sold its Jacksonville street railway 
holdings to Stone & Webster in 1902. 

The first electric street car in Jacksonville was run on 
the Main Street line February 24, 1898, from Bay Street to 
the waterworks; it was well patronized and discussed by the 
citizens. This line was completely converted into an electric 
line March 16, 1898, when the first car went around the 
Walnut Street loop. 

The Jacksonville Street Railway Co. ran its first electric 
car March 1, 1895, on Bay Street, and in the following May 
withdrew the last horse-drawn street car in Jacksonville. 

In February, 1886, the street car line was extended from 
the barns in Brooklyn to the end of May Street in Riverside 
(immediately in the rear of the San Juline Apartments), 
then the edge of a swamp. This was a negro picnic ground 
for years. From May Street the line was extended to the 
vicinity of Willow Branch in 1901. In 1909 the Ortega 
Company completed a line from Ortega to connect with the 
line of the Jacksonville Electric Co. at Aberdeen Avenue; the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 875 


Ortega line was acquired by the latter in March, 1911. The 
line was extended to Camp Johnston in April, 1918. The 
Lackawanna Avenue-Seaboard Shops line was opened in 1910. 
Street car service to Murray Hill began January 1, 1914. 

The Main Street car line was extended to Evergreen Cem- 
etery and Phenix Park in the fall of 1901, and to Cummer’s 
Mill in 1910. The Pearl Street loop was completed in Jan- 
ary, 1908. The Eighth Street extension through Glen Myra 
to Talleyrand Avenue was completed in July, 1917. The 
extension to the State Fair Grounds was made in Febru- 
ary, 1918. The Pearl-Hogan Street line was opened in Sep- 
tember, 1923. 

The South Jacksonville line opened May 15, 1924. It is 
owned by the City of South Jacksonville and operated by the 
Jacksonville Traction Co. 

The small ‘‘one-man” cars were first used July 28, 1922. 

In 1919 the Jacksonville Traction Co., claiming that it 
was operating at a financial loss, appealed to the City Council 
for a change in its charter so as to permit an increase in fare. 
The Council called an election at the expense of the street 
railway company to decide the matter and the voters rejected 
it three to one. The case was taken before the State Railroad 
Commission and after a year’s struggle the street railway 
company was authorized to increase the fare from 5 to 7 
cents, which became effective December 15, 1920; the street 
railway company had two months before gone into the hands 
of areceiver. The present fare, 10 cents straight, or 5 tokens 
for 35 cents, became effective June 2, 1924. 


The Ferry 


A public ferry across the St. Johns River was mentioned 
by Bartram in 1774; it was probably used in connection with 
the Kings Road. This ferry was operated from the south 
side of the river and it would be interesting to know just how 
a traveler on the north side wishing to cross managed to 
attract the attention of the ferryman a mile away on the 
opposite side. It was said that hours of gesticulating, riding 
up and down the bluff (at Liberty Street) and firing of guns 
and pistols failed to attract notice. 

The first ferry from the north side was John Brady’s 
dug-out in Spanish times. Soon after Jacksonville was 
platted the matter of a ferry received Legislative action 


376 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


and in December, 1824, a franchise was granted to John L. 
Doggett; this franchise was renewed in 1838 for seven years. 
The system of rowing passengers and flatting horses and 
cattle across the river prevailed up to the War Between the 
States. The service from Jacksonville was eventually placed 
under the supervision of the Town Marshal, who received a 
portion of the tolls collected for flatting cattle across the 
river. 

After the war a system of steam ferries grew up, with 
calls at different nearby landings on both sides of the river. 
The small side-wheel steamers Topsy and Fanny Fern were 
engaged in this service for years. Upon the completion of 
the railroad from South Jacksonville to St. Augustine in 
1883 a small steam ferryboat, the Armsmear, was put on to 
carry passengers across the river; she was the pioneer of 
the regular ferry service of subsequent years. In 1886, upon 
the purchase of the St. Augustine railroad by Henry M. 
Flagler, the ferry franchise was included, but for certain 
reasons Mr. Flagler desired that it be operated as the J. T. 
& K. W. ferry and it was so known while under his ownership. 
The railroad bridge across the river was completed in Jan- 
uary, 1890, whereupon the service was discontinued as a 
railroad ferry and operated as a local ferry. 

In March, 1892, J. A. Russell and associates leased the 
ferry to furnish a connection with the proposed extension 
of the J. M. & P. Railroad from Arlington to South Jackson- 
ville. Archer Harman soon afterward became president of 
the ferry company as well as the railroad, and the suits 
against the railroad involved the ferry more or less. In the 
final disposition the property reverted to the J., St. A.& I. R. 
Railroad Co., and in 1895 was sold to Edward Morley. In 
1897 the ferry was being operated by a company headed by 
H. H. Hoffman and it was so operated until 1901, when the 
Jacksonville Steam Ferry & Terminal Company took it over. 
In September, 1901, the ferryboat Commodore Barney sank 
in her slip at the foot of Newnan Street and remained there 
six months. Following this the ferry service became a make- 
shift with temporary boats, ending in the franchise passing 
to G. D. Jackson and Louis Barberie; but they also were 
unable to make a success of it on account of being hampered 
by injunctions when they attempted to make important im- 
provements. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 377 


Interests headed by J. M. Barrs acquired the ferry fran- 
chise in 1904; built the ferryboat Duval, and placed her in 
service Sept. 20, 1904, her first trip being made from the foot 
of Main Street, which for the first time was used for ferry 
purposes. This change from Newnan to Main Street was 
made in the face of injunctions brought by private parties, 
it was said for business reasons; but the ferry company con- 
tinued to use Main Street, built the slip and erected the pres- 
ent terminals in 1905. On March 15, 1905, the County Com- 
missioners granted the ferry company, which had been incor- 
porated as the South Jacksonville Steam Ferry Co., a fran- 
chise under which extensive improvements were made in 
South Jacksonville. The ferry company then bulkheaded the 
river front on the south side and improved it as Dixieland 
Park (see page 233.) 

The South Jacksonville Steam Ferry Company sold out 
to the Ames Realty Company in July, 1912; the new owners 
changed the corporate name to Jacksonville Ferry & Land 
Company. With the growing popularity of the ocean beaches 
and the increasing use of the automobile the ferry became 
a bonanza for its owners. Before the Jacksonville-St. Johns 
River Bridge was built in 1921, it was not unusual on Sun- 
days and special occasions, though two large ferry-boats were 
in use, for a line of automobiles awaiting their turn to cross 
the river to form reaching from Broad Street to the ferry 
slip at Main. On one occasion the line extended out East 
Bay Street to Florida Avenue, thence beyond St. Andrew’s 
church in East Jacksonville; the last automobile of that line 
reached the ferry three hours later. Upon the opening of the 
highway bridge across the river July 1, 1921, the business 
of the ferry was reduced almost to the point of non-profit, 
which resulted in a curtailment of the ferry service and the 
sale of one of the boats, the South Jacksonville. 


Bicycles 


The bicycle is entitled to a place in history, not alone for 
the pleasure it gave during the twenty years of its popularity 
prior to the coming of the automobile, but also for its con- 
tribution to the development of sections adjacent to the city 
and its service as the pathfinder of most of the local improved 
boulevards today. 


378 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The first bicycle appeared in Jacksonville about 1885 and 
was said to have been owned by Harry Lampkin. It was an 
“Ordinary”, the high kind with a 60-inch front wheel and a 
small wheel behind, metal tired and without chain gear. The 
owner of the next “Ordinary” here was Evelyn Sanderson, 
who afterwards became an expert rider and won most of the 
prizes in the early amateur racing contests in this section. 

The low, diamond frame, solid rubber tired “safeties” 
with chain gear appeared in Jacksonville about 1888, when 
the “Ordinaries” soon became classed as curios. The first 
lady’s bicycle in the State was a “Victoria”, ordered for Miss 
Alice Robinson of Jacksonville, and it arrived in October, 
1890. Then followed an epoch wherein the bicycle became 
an important factor in social life. There were fashionable 
bicycle parties and picnics, moonlight rides along the river 
out Talleyrand way, and along the railroad to Panama. 
Bicycle parties searched out the by-paths into the country 
and by popular usage blazed the way for most of our hard- 
roads. Asa social feature the bicycle had its ascendancy and 
decline within the decade 1890-1900, the cause being ascribed 
by an authority to the fact that “They (the women) tired 
of it, as they do of every muscular sport, except when novelty 
gives a brief stimulus or social opportunity. The lamp laws 
nearly killed evening parties, the chief use they could make 
of the bicycle”. It was not so with men, who continued to 
use the bicycle for both business and pleasure until the auto- 
mobile came into more or less general use in 1906-7-8. Today 
the use of the bicycle is confined to light delivery and mes- 
senger service and to boys and girls for pleasure. 

In the heyday of bicycle popularity the Wheelmen’s Club 
of Jacksonville was an important organization. The first 
club was organized November 23, 1887, with J. H. Crosby, 
president, and L. A. Wilson, captain. The yellow fever 
epidemic of 1888 broke up the club, but it was reorganized 
afterward and was in existence until 1907, when it disbanded 
and sold its club house just west of the Law Exchange build- 
ing to the Church Club for $13,000. 

Of those residents of Jacksonville before the fire who 
may read these lines, some will remember the donax speed- 
way near the Old Soldiers’ Home and a moonlight ride around 
the “belt” and back to town; some will muse—and close the 
vision with a sweitzer sandwich while Nick Arend “scraped 
the foam”’. 








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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 379 


Automobiles 


The first autocar in Jacksonville was devised and built by 
John Einig of this city in the summer of 1896. In general 
body appearance it resembled a narrow buggy with high 
iron-tired wheels. The motor was a small steam engine that 
threw out a blinding cloud of steam when running and made 
a noise that caused it to become known as “‘Einig’s chug-chug 
wagon”. Its mechanism confined it to the paved streets. 
The heat generated by the engine was so great that it was 
uncomfortable for long runs. Two single seats were pro- 
vided. An illustrated description of this motor-buggy was 
published in the Scientific American and the publicity brought 
many inquiries to the inventor. Mr. Einig was finally induced 
to sell his machine to an Englishman for $1,000, and it was 
crated and shipped to New York. Its subsequent history is 
unknown. 

In 1899 Mr. Einig purchased an auto-carriage of French 
design and had it shipped to Jacksonville. It was equipped 
with a gasoline motor made in France. It arrived in sections 
and was assembled by its new owner, who made a number of 
refinements upon it. This machine was first seen on the 
streets here July 4, 1899. It did not prove entirely satisfac- 
tory and was eventually discarded. 

Charles A. Clark was the first local resident to own a 
factory-made stock car. It was a locomobile known as Stan- 
ley No. 2, made by the Locomobile Company of America. It 
resembled a buggy of ordinary size, with wheels equipped 
with bicycle pneumatic tires. The motive power was a 5 
h. p. steam engine capable of a driving speed of 40 miles an 
hour under favorable conditions. The machine weighed 450 
pounds and cost at the factory $650. It arrived in Jackson- 
ville January 4, 1900, and was the first automobile in Florida 
and was said to have been the first in the Southeast. 

The automobile as a business proposition saw its start 
in Jacksonville about 1903 and probably the first newspaper 
advertisement of an automobile dealer in the State was that 
of Fred E. Gilbert in the Times-Union of October 25, 1908. 
Mr. Gilbert opened the first garage here and was the pioneer 
of the business in Jacksonville; he was an enthusiast without 
a peer; Atlantic Boulevard to the beach was largely the result 
of his enthusiasm and persistent effort. 


380 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


On November 8, 1903, the first automobile parade in Flor- 
ida was a feature of the Gala-week carnival, there being 26 
machines of various makes, types, and styles in line; at that 
time 32 automobiles were owned in Jacksonville, and the fact 
was highly advertised to stress the progressiveness of the 
city. The city then passed a speed-limit ordinance and the 
first arrest for exceeding the limit of six miles an hour in 
the down-town section was on April 30, 1904, when a prom- 
inent business man was hailed into court. The next step was 
the organization of the first local automobile club on March 
16, 1905, known as the Jacksonville Automobile and Motor 
Boat Club, with H. A. McEachern, president; Charles A. 
Clark and Fred E. Gilbert, vice-presidents; Herbert Race, 
secretary-treasurer. In the fall of 1905 the number of auto- 
mobiles owned in Jacksonville had increased to 166, and again 
this fact became the subject for advertisement. 

The automobile races at Atlantic Beach in April, 1906, 
aroused enthusiastic interest in automobiles generally, and 
a pronounced impetus to their popularity as a pleasure ve- 
hicle followed the completion of the hard road to the beach 
in 1910; in 1911, a checklist showed 1120 machines owned in 
Jacksonville. 3 

March 6, 1916, Jacksonville’s first automobile show 
opened, with a display of 29 different makes, ranging in 
price from the Cadillac, 7-passenger, standard, at $2085, to 
the Saxon roadster at $395, f.0.b. factory. The show was of 
great interest and a success in every way. 

Up to America’s entrance into the World war, the auto- 
mobile was considered more or less a luxury, to be enjoyed 
by the well-to-do. With the opening of the Government 
shipyards here, where wages beyond the dream of former 
years were paid, the working man, who had hitherto ridden 
his bicycle or taken the street car, in many instances now drove 
to his job in his own automobile. After the war there was 
a partial recession, due to economic causes, but this was on- 
ly temporary. Within the last three years automobile traffic 
conditions have grown to be a serious matter, with dangerous 
smash-ups occurring almost daily, and fatal accidents of such 
frequency as to receive hardly more than passing comment 
from the general public. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 381 


Air Craft 


Elderly citizens of Jacksonville remember seeing balloon 
ascensions when they were children, and memory easily re- 
calls the flight made here in 1905 by an air gas-bag propelled 
by oars; but the first flight in this vicinity without artificial 
aid, was that of a huge box-kite aeroplane at Atlantic Beach 
during the automobile races, April 9, 1906. Chas R. Hamil- 
ton was the aviator, and he attained a height of 250 feet, 
from which elevation he suffered a “nose” dive, escaping 
death by a miracle. On the 14th, Israel Ludlow in a similar 
accident sustained injuries that paralyzed him for life. 

On February 1, 1908, Lincoln J. Beachey made the first 
flight in an airship propelled by motor, in Kast Florida. The 
flight was made in South Jacksonville, in what was known as 
Beachey Airship No. 6. This was a dirigible shaped like a 
cigar, with rudder behind and propeller in front. It was 
equipped with a 4-cylinder, 10 h.p. gasoline engine weighing 
82 pounds; the total weight of the ship was 240 pounds. In 
this flight Beachey was in the air 12 minutes. On Feby. 3d, 
he crossed the river and flew over Jacksonville, circling with 
perfect control several times, to the great amazement of the 
inhabitants. 

The first flight made in Jacksonville of a heavier-than-air 
machine was that of Charles K. Hamilton in a Curtiss bi- 
plane, May 21, 1910. The flight was made at Moncrief race- 
track and was the first of a series of exhibitions, one of which 
was a race between the bi-plane and a Cadillac-30, driven by 
Dexter Kelly. Owing to unfavorable wind conditions, the 
Cadillac won. 

Karle Dodge’s School of Aviation opened at Black Point 
(State Camp), December 4, 1916, and the Curtiss aeroplanes 
of modern type soon became familiar objects in the sky in 
this vicinity. This school for training aviators was in opera- 
tion until the summer of 1917, and an outstanding feature 
connected with it was that no fatal accidents occurred. 

Aeroplanes had now ceased to be a novelty to the people 
of Jacksonville, but the final word in spectacular air “stunts” 
was yet tocome. It was during one of the Liberty Loan cam- 
paigns that an aerial circus, participated in by American, 
French and English planes, held spellbound the population 
of Jacksonville gathered on the housetops. No such exhibi- 
tion of “air stunts” was ever seen here before, or since. 


382 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


There is an Aero Club in Jacksonville, permanently organ- 
ized December 4, 1924, under a charter from the National 
Aeronautic Association. Charter officers: T. C. Imeson, pres- 
ident; H. C. Bullard and John Wright, vice-presidents; Y. O. 
Brown, secretary-treasurer. | 


Bibliography, Chapter XX 
This record was compiled entirely from the newspapers. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 383 


CHAPTER XXI 
THE PORT OF JACKSONVILLE 


The first aid to navigation at the mouth of the St. Johns 
River was not with respect to improving the bar, but to 
mark its location. A lighthouse was erected by the U. 8S. 
Government in 1830, but three years later it was taken down, 
as it became threatened by the sea.* The location of this 
first lighthouse at the mouth of the St. Johns was not far 
from the south jetty, north of the fishing shacks.‘ The coast- 
al beach in that vicinity was washed away, but since the jet- 
ties were built it is making up again, in the sand field to the 
left as you approach the south jetty on the beach. 

The second lighthouse was built in 18385, about a mile 
farther up the river, on the south side, directly in front of 
what is now called the “White Heron Tea Room” on the 
“Wonderwood” property. This tower likewise became 
threatened by the wash of the river and by drifting sands, 
and it was abandoned upon the completion of the present 
lighthouse at Mayport in 1859. The remains of the second 
tower were visible until a few years ago; the site is now un- 
der water.‘ 

The keepers of the light, from 1880 to 1852 (subsequent 
records were burned at Washington), were in the order 
named: William Livingston, Roque Leonardy, John Warren, 
Henry Maxey, Matthew H. Philips, W. H. Huston, G. C. Acos- 
ta, Josiah Fennimore.* Most of these names are familiar as 
residents of Jacksonville before the War Between the States. 
While they were the official keepers, it is said that the actual 
keeper of the light was an old negro named Peter.¢ Peter no 
doubt witnessed many a stirring scene at the mouth of the 
river, as some venturesome and impatient mariner attempted 
to navigate the shallow stretch, and afterward wrote in his 
log, “Got stuck on St. Johns bar’’. 

The Jacksonville Courier, of August 6, 1835, published 
this interesting correspondence about St. Johns bar: 


Mr. Editor. Sir—Herewith I send you a communication from Capt. 
Wightman, the head Pilot at the mouth of the River, stating some facts 
relating to the Bar, the publishing of which, I have no doubt, will be of 
considerable service to vessels bound to this port. For the gratification 


384 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


of merchants, underwriters and mariners I would inform them that the 
pilotage is now better attended to, and is in better hands than it has 
been for many years. 

Capt. Wightman and Capt. Kimmy are both good seamen and per- 
severing men; they have both sailed vessels from this port for many 
years, and were considered good pilots before their appointment, but 
since that time they have taken great trouble to obtain every informa- 
tion possible concerning the state of the Bar. We have the assurance 
that vessels arriving off the Bar will not now be obliged to lay off and 
on for days, showing a signal for a Pilot, and even then being obliged 
to send in for one, as has been frequently the case within two years. 
(Signed) W. R. 

Dear Sir: The Bar of St. Johns River is at this time at the North- 
east part of the entrance, and affords from 12 to 15 feet at high water, 
as the state of the tide may be, whether spring or neap tides. Vessels 
bound into the St. Johns River wishing a pilot should keep the Light- 
House bearing from SSW to WSW, and run into 4, 5, or 6 fathom water, 
as the weather may be; in running in for the Light-House in the night, 
bring it to bear as above, and anchor in 6 or 7 fathoms, if moderate and 
smooth. Masters of vessels may always know that their signal for a 
Pilot is seen by the Pilots on shore, by its being answered by a signal 
from the Light-House. The Pilots pledge themselves to give prompt 
attention to all vessels coming to this Bar and River. 

St. Johns Bar, July, 18365. Timothy Wightman, Branch Pilot. 


Preliminary Efforts for Bar Improvement 


Dr. A. S. Baldwin, of Jacksonville, was the first to ad- 
vance a theory and the first to become active for bar improve- 
ment. His theory was that by closing Fort George Inlet, 
less sand would collect at St. Johns bar, and the currents of 
the river would develop and force a channel there. A public 
meeting of citizens was called to take action upon his views, 
with the result that in 1852 he was sent to Washington to ask 
an appropriation of Congress to carry out this idea. In this 
he was successful, and Congress appropriated $10,000, a con- 
siderable sum for that time. Soon afterward, Lieut. H. G. 
Wright was sent here by the Government to investigate and 
make a survey; this was in 1858. Lieut. Wright made a re- 
port that the difficulties at the bar could be largely overcome 
by the construction of a single pier or jetty on the north side 
of the main channel, across the bar. The appropriation never 
became available and the recommendation of Lieut. Wright 
was never acted upon, as it is said that parties having power- 
ful influence at Washington, who were at that time interested 


ae 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 385 


in the harbor at Fernandina, caused the abandonment of 
the contemplated improvements at the mouth of the St. 
Johns River. The war came on, and the chaotic conditions 
afterward prevented the revival of the question of bar im- 
provement until late in the 1870’s./ 

About 1877, Dr. Baldwin again became active in the mat- 
ter of deeper water at the bar. Early in 1878, he went to 
New Orleans to confer with Capt. James B. Kads, who was 
then building the Mississippi River jetties. An agreement 
was made with Capt. Eads to come to Jacksonville, make a 
survey and report for a fee of $1000. Dr. Baldwin returned 
to Jacksonville and soon raised the money by popular sub- 
scription. Capt. Eads arrived in March, 1878, and on the 
29th submitted a report that there was no doubt of the suc- 
cess of a system of jetties; that by the construction of two 
converging jetties, from the mainiand across the bar to deep 
water, a permanent channel of 20 feet, at average flood, could 
be secured, and that the total cost of the work would be 
about $1,700,000. He recommended high jetties, i.e., above 
high water level./ 

Capt. Eads’ report was approved by a committee of citi- 
zens, and a memorial to Congress was prepared asking for 
the appropriation. In this memorial it was stated that from 
1866 to 1878, the loss of vessels and cargoes by shipwreck, 
between Cape Canaveral and Brunswick, approximated 
$1,500,000, and that in 1872 alone, loss on the Atlantic 
coast of Florida north of Canaveral, was $570,000, much of 
which might have been saved by a land-locked harbor at the 
mouth of the St. Johns River. The memorial was effective, 
for late in 1878, Capt. George Daubigny, under the direction 
of Gen. Q. A. Gillmore, made an exhaustive survey at the 
mouth of the river.’ On data thus obtained, Gen. Gillmore 
recommended a system of jetties as Capt. Eads had advised, 
only he recommended low or submerged jetties instead of 
high. Gen. Gillmore’s plan was adopted June 30, 1879.¢ 

In the meantime, the Government had been engaged in a 
dredging project at the mouth of the river, in what was 
known as the south channel, but owing to the shifting nature 
of the sand, no permanent improvement was anticipated. 
However, while the dredge was kept going, the depth of 
water was increased several feet, and when the Western 
Texas, of the Mallory line, steamed in on November 5, 1878, 


386 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


the event was celebrated at Jacksonville as a new shipping 
era for this city.f On Christmas Day, 1878, something un- 
expected happened at the bar: A new channel suddenly 
broke out to the northward, in the path of an old channel, 
furnishing practically 11 feet at high water. This caused 
the Government to abandon the dredging work in the south 
channel.’ 


*St. Johns bar, before the jetties were built, was fan- 
shaped, and extended practically from Talbot Island to Burn- 
side Beach, a distance of more than two miles, at any point of 
which the channel was liable to break through. The channel 
would generally break out to the northward and gradually — 
work its way to the southward, until it ran close along the 
south beach, when from different causes, as the varying stages 
of the river and storms, it would close up in the south beach 
channel, and open up again farther northward, and thus repeat 
its unique caperings./ 


The Jetties 


The estimated cost of the jetty work under Gen. Gill- 
more’s plan was $1,306,000. Congress made the first ap- 
propriation to start the work, $125,000, in June, 1880, and 
contracts were awarded to R. G. Ross & Co., and J. H. Durkee. 
Both of these contracts were completed before another ap- 
propriation became available, and the construction work 
ceased for atime. This was the history of the work all dur- 
ing the early years—appropriations became available in 
relatively small amounts, and separate awards were made 
under each appropriation, which resulted in considerable 
delay, and additional expense in repairing damage arising 
during the intervals. And so the work wore on. If the or- 
iginal estimate was an accurate one, the system of separate 
awards cost the Government $200,000, for that was the 
amount in excess of the estimate when the work had pro- 
gressed to the point of completion under the submerged 
plan. It had been decided, however, not to stop the work at 
that stage, but to build the jetties higher, which was in ac- 
cordance with Capt. Eads’ recommendation in the beginning. 

The following reminiscences of Capt. R. G. Ross are here 
preserved as a valuable first-hand account of the work at the 
mouth of the river. No one knew more about the inside 
history of the jetty work then he, for from the award of the 


- 


— 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA = 387 


first contract he was continuously associated with the im- 
provement for 40 years. 


Reminiscences of Captain R. G. Ross 


In 1880, the depth of water on St. Johns bar at low tide varied be- 
tween six and eight feet. There were two entrances, one close to the 
south shore and the other about a mile to the northward. Owing to the 
shifting nature of the sands, the depth of water varied at different 
times, and before vessels could enter, the pilots had to sound both chan- 
nels in order to determine the deeper at that moment. So the most ad- 
vantageous location for the jetties became a serious problem. Gen. 
Q. A. Gillmore, who designed the jetties and had general supervision of 
the work, Maj. J. C. Post, directly in charge, with headquarters at 
Charleston, and I made a number of visits to the mouth of the river, in 
conference as to where the jetties should be located. Gen. Gillmore 
favored locating the south jetty far inland toward Mayport. Maj. Post 
argued that it would be a great saving in expense, and serve the same 
purpose, to start it farther toward the mouth of the river. They finally 
compromised by splitting the difference and beginning on midway 
ground. I favored Gen. Gillmore’s plan and still believe it the better. 
Considerable discussion arose as to the location of the north jetty, also. 
The present location was selected as the most feasible one, but Gen 
Gillmore was of the opinion that it was too near Fort George Inlet. He 
said the Inlet would probably give trouble, though in that event it could 
be closed. The Inlet is still open, and as the General predicted, did, and 
is now giving more trouble than anticipated. The main trouble now 
is the continual washing of sand over and through the north jetty, thus 
feeding up Ward’s bank and other places between the jetties, thereby 
causing the need for more or less dredging all the time. 

Lieut. Fisk was sent down to assist Major Post locally, and estab- 
lished his headquarters on Fort George Island. We started the pre- 
liminary work on the south jetty December 14, 1880. As a foundation 
for the stone, a mattress was made of logs 9 inches in diameter at the 
smaller end, placed close together, spiked, and fastened with binders. 
On top of this raft a layer of loose brush, one foot in thickness, was 
placed and fastened down with poles and wire. The width of each mat- 
tress varied from 25 to 150 feet, according to the depth of water. The 
stone came from New York City by vessel, in small loads of not more 
than 300 tons to the vessel, as they could not come in drawing more 
than 11 feet. At that time great hills of rock were being cut down in 
New York to grade new streets, from 50th Street on toward Harlem, 
preliminary to the boom that followed. The contractors sold us this 
stone for 25c a ton, f.o.b. vessel. Thus New York City sent us the foun- 
dation for making Jacksonville the most prosperous city on the South 
Atlantic coast. It was impossible to regulate the arrival of the ves- 
sels bringing the stone, and usually they came in bunches in a “north- 
easter”. I have known as many as ten to arrive off the bar at one time, 


388 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


and it took some live hustling to discharge them all without having to 
pay demurrage. 


A very annoying circumstance arose about 1885, when an individual 
stopped our work by an injunction, claiming that he had a patent on the 
log mattress that we were using. Fortunately, some time previously I 
had thought out a design of mattress, composed of fascines of brush 
and other small growth, that might answer the purpose just as well as 
the logs, and save a great deal in the cost. The opportunity to test it 
out was now at hand, and shortiy afterward we laid the first fascine 
mattress foundation. it proved a perfect success, and from that time 
the Government used the design in all foundations for jetties there- 
after, and the plan is now in universal use wherever jetties are built on 
sand or mud base. 

About this time we made a change from New York stone to the 
hard flint-surface stone found around Ocala. It was hauled by teams 
to the various stations and shipped to Jacksonville, where it was loaded 
on the barges and towed to the jetty work at the mouth of the river. 
This stone was used for the submerged portion of the jetties and an- 
swered the purpose well. At this stage of construction, Capt. W. M. 
Black, engineer in charge of the work at that time, devised a plan of 
two ridges of stone with a space between, built up to the level of low 
water. The space between the ridges was then filled in with oyster 
shell and a layer of stone placed on top. The shell made a solid heart- | 
ing when covered over with stone; being mixed with Florida limestone, 
they both found their natural element in the ocean where shell-fish had 
something to cling to, thus cementing the whole into a solid breakwater 
below the low water level. The oyster shell hearting was used only 
where the water was deep and still. This kind of construction has 
proven satisfactory. 

The original plans were for submerged jetties (i. e., built up to the 
level of low water) and this phase of the work was practically com- 
pleted in June, 1893; but in the meantime the plans were amended to 
include a superstructure seven feet higher. Work on this superstruc- 
ture was commenced in 1893-4. Granite boulders, averaging five tons 
each, were brought down from South Carolina and placed on top of the 
submerged work. This building up of the jetties progressed satisfac- 
torily, though it was slow work and took years to complete. The 
length of the jetties was extended from time to time, and there were 
some unforeseen developments that required attention. The western 
end of the north jetty was extended on the low beach back to high land, 
a distance of about 1000 feet. While this work was progressing, a 
heavy northeaster, attended by an unusually high tide, caused a ser- 
ious washout and much damage. This extension was finished in the 
spring of 1921. So it may be said that the building of the jetties 
stretched over a period of forty years, not continuously throughout the 
last twenty years, but at irregular intervals, as necessity required. 

It is interesting to note the changes that took place in the river, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 389 


as a result of building the jetties. When the work had progressed far 
enough to cause the breaking out of the channel at the mouth of the 
river, it was discovered that the current was increasing farther up the 
river. As the water deepened between the jetties and a rapid current 
developed, it was noticed that St. Johns Bluff was washing away at a 
dangerous rate. And the same condition developed as far up as Dames 
Point. The hundreds of thousands of yards of sand washed into the 
channel in this way necessitated the expenditure of a great deal of 
money in dredging work, and it was not until the retaining walls, rip- 
rapped with stone, were built along exposed places that the erosion 
was permanently corrected. 


The channel ran close to St. Johns Bluff, and the increasing current, 
together with the wave action created by passing steam vessels, under- 
mined the bank, and we would occasionally see landslides carrying 
large and small trees into the river. Here the ebb tide was much 
stronger than the flood, in fact, it usually ebbed nine hours and flood 
only three. An enormous amount of sand was removed from the slope 
of the bluff by erosion and settled where the current left it toward the 
mouth of the river, thus making shoal places and forming sand banks 
that had to be removed by dredging and dumping into the ocean. So 
now the point of St. Johns Bluff sets back several hundred feet from 
where it originally was. All of this waste happened within a period 
of about ten years. 


The army engineers and other officers, who from time to time 
were assigned in relation to these improvements, helped in their official 
capacities to put Jacksonville where it is today. It is not generally 
known that an effort to honor them was made in the early 1880’s by 
naming some of the streets in “Riverside” for them. J. F. LeBaron, 
employed as an assistant engineer upon the jetty work, being also a 
capable surveyor, was asked by the owner of a tract of land in “River- 
side” to make a survey of it and lay out streets. This tract is what 
is now known as Old Riverside, lying between Forest and Margaret 
Streets. LeBaron was accorded the privilege of naming the streets, 
and as the survey progressed he named them for the officers that had 
been engaged on the work at the mouth of the St. Johns River. Gill- 
more Street was named for Gen. Q. A. Gillmore, who designed the jet- 
ties and was chief engineer, in charge of the work. Post Street for 
Maj. J. C. Post, assistant to General Gillmore. Fisk Street for Lieut. 
W. L. Fisk, assistant to Major Post. Rossell Street for Capt. W. T. 
Rossell, successor to Major Post. Lomax Street for Gen. Lindsay 
Lomax, an ex-Confederate officer; he was inspector of jetty work. May 
Street traces to the same influences, its original name being Mayport 
Avenue. Capt. James B. Eads was also honored, Oak Street having 
originally been named Eads Street. It was LeBaron’s idea to continue 
naming the streets in “Riverside” for the officers engaged upon the 
jetty work. ; 


390 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


From time to time considerable replacements have been 
made of top boulders for the jetty work. The foundation 
has about settled permanently, having been welded into a 
solid mass by barnacles and other sea growth. 

Suppose old Peter could come back now and sit on the 
rocks at the mouth of the river. His thoughts would be of 
the time when there were lamps to fill and wicks to trim, al- 
though his lighthouse home had been washed away. He 
would listen intently to the mellow cadence coming in from 
the bell-buoy out at sea—that rise and fall of sound which 
reminds you of Poe’s famous poem, “The Bells”. The line 
of inquiry in Peter’s mind would run: Whence came these 
rocks? Why such a rapid current? Where is Pelican Bank, 
and what has become of the sea birds that had to fight for 
standing room? Where are the schooners, anchored for an 
entrance tide; and where are the hulls of wrecks that used 
to line the shore? What makes those rowboats go so fast, 
and what is that popping noise? What great ship is that 
coming in, and why the wires between her masts? These 
things explained to him he would stare in bewilderment and 
fright, and fade away—into the Past. 


*Traditions handed down from a former generation of 
fisher-folk still cling to the mouth of the river—legends of 
romance, of pirates, and of buried gold. I have made an effort 
to trace some of them to a historical backing; but save those 
of hardship and danger, none seems to be verified by anything 
of record. 


The south jetty, from end to end, is 214 miles long, while 
the north jetty is half a mile longer or 3 miles in length. The 
distance between the outer or sea ends is 1600 feet. At the 
entrance the channel bears close to the north jetty, thence 
toward and along the south jetty, close to the shore. Ina 
straight line, the mouth of the river is 1514 miles from the 
courthouse in Jacksonville and by channel, from the foot of 
Market Street, 2714 miles. 


Channel Improvements 


Long before the jetties were completed, it was evident 
that the depth of water at the entrance would be increased 
to approximately 20 feet, the estimate made by Capt. Eads. 
There were, however, some parts of the channel between 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 891 


Jacksonville and the ocean with less depth than this, espe- 
cially at Dames Point. So in order that Jacksonville might 
derive the maximum benefit from the improvement at the 
mouth of the river, the Board of Trade, in 1891, launched a 
movement for bonding Duval County for $300,000 for chan- 
nel improvement at Dames Point. The usual machinery was 
set in operation to legalize a bond issue; the issue was ap- 
proved, and on December 3, 1891, Duval County voted 1450 
for and 723 against bonds. This was Duval County’s first 
bond issue after the War Between the States, and it sold at 
a premium of nearly two per cent.f The river work was 
started in June, 1892, and exactly two years later it was com- 
pleted. It was possible for ships drawing 20 feet of water to 
now dock at Jacksonville. 

This project had hardly been completed when the ques- 
tion of still deeper water for Jacksonville arose. The Board 
of Trade was behind this movement also, and it finally 
reached Congress. Congress deliberated six years, and in 
1902, made an initial appropriation of $350,000 to start the 
work of dredging a channel 24 feet in depth and 300 feet 
wide, from Jacksonville to the sea. Two powerful dredges 
were built, the St. Johns, a sea-going dredge, and the Jack- 
sonville, as an auxiliary. These dredges were familiar ob- 
jects on the river for a long time. In four years the work 
was completed, and the 24-foot channel became a reality./ 

Ten years later, another dredging project was started 
that resulted in a 30-foot channel from Jacksonville to the 
sea. Vessels weighted to this depth can now come in and 
dock at the municipal docks at low tide. 


Total Cost 


The total expenditure for river improvement since 1880, 
including the jetties, but not including maintenance, and in- 
cluding also the bond money of Duval County, approximates 
$7,000,000. Results fully justify the expenditure. Jackson- 
ville has met the Government a part of the way by building 
the municipal docks, which have already become an impor- 
tant factor in South Atlantic shipping. 

Engineers in charge of the bar and harbor improvements 
at the port of Jacksonville: Gen. Q. A. Gillmore (Maj. J. C. 
Post locally), 1880-84; Capt. W. T. Rossell, 1884-86; Capt. 
W. M. Black, 1886-91; Maj. J. C. Mallery, 1891-93; Lt. A. M. 


892 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


D’Armit (ad interim), 1898-95; Maj. T. H. Handbury, 1895- 
96; Lt. Col. W. H. H. Benyaurd, 1896-99; Capt. C. H. Mc- 
Kinstry, 1899-1901; Capt. Herbert Deakyne, 1901-02; Maj. 
F. R. Shunk, 1902-07; Lt. Col. L. H. Beach, 1907-08; Capt. 
G. R. Spalding, 1908-11; Maj. J. R. Slattery, 1911-13; Lt. Col. 
W.B. Ladue, 1913-17; Maj. J. F. Bell, 1917; Col. John Millis, 
1917; J. W. Sackett, 1917-18; J. M. Braxton, 1918-19; Col. ° 
G. E. Edgerton, 1919; Col. W. J. Barden, 1919-20; Col. Spen- 
cer Cosby, 1920; Maj. W. C. Lemen, 1920-22; Lt. Col. G. A. 
Youngberg, 1922 to date. 


*All of the army officers were members of the U. S. En- 
gineer Corps, and all were graduates of the U. S. Military 
Academy at West Point, except Major Lemen, who was ap- 
pointed directly from civil life. 


Bibliography, Chapter XXI 
aG. R. Putnam, Com. of Lighthouses, Washington ; bData furnished by J. C. Yonge; 
cAs published in early newspapers ; dWebb’s History of Florida; eReports of Jackson- 
ville Board of Trade; fLocal press account; gCompiled by H. H. Richardson, Secy. of 
Board of Trade; Data furnished by Col. G. A. Youngberg; iLocation shown on a sur- 
vey in 1852. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 393 


CHAPTER XXII 
PARENT CHURCHES AND DENOMINATIONS 


(in the order of their establishment) 


So far as known, religious services were first held in Jack- 
sonville over a store at the northwest corner of Bay and New- 
nan Streets; this was about 1825, and the services were gen- 
eral rather than denominational. Services were held ir- 
regularly at one place and another, and occasionally at the 
court house, until the block house was built, when that seems 
to have become the place for general worship, except for the 
EX\piscopalians, who continued to use the court house. Early 
in the 1840’s the several denominations took steps to provide 
for themselves separate houses of worship. The first church 
building erected in the town was built by the Baptists, on 
the east side of the lot at the northeast corner of Duval and 
Newnan Streets in 1840. The Baptists sold this property to 
the Presbyterians in 1844, and two years later the Presby- 
terians sold it to the Methodists. This building stood on the 
site now occupied by the Methodist School of Christian Edu- 
cation. 


Methodist 


The Methodists seem to have been the pioneers in organ- 
ized Church work in Jacksonville. In 1823-4, several mission- 
aries were sent to East Florida with headquarters at St. 
Augustine, among them Rev. John Jerry. Jacksonville was 
on Mr. Jerry’s circuit. “From St. Augustine to the Cow 
Ford he traveled on horseback, carrying his change of cloth- 
ing, books, lunch, and sack of corn to feed his horse’’.¢ 

The following extracts taken from the diary of Rev. 
Isaac Boring? indicate that there was a regularly organized 
Methodist society in Jacksonville in 1829: 


Sunday, March 8, 1829. Preached at Jacksonville and dined with 
Mrs. Hart, and heard that some members of our church had been 
dancing. 

Sunday, April 19, 1829. Preached at Jacksonville, filling all the 
appointments of the week. 

Sunday, May 17, 1829. Preached at Jacksonville. For the first 
time I was allowed to preach in the court house. During divine serv- 
ices, a drunken man made so much noise that Mr. Hart very politely led 


394 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


him out of the house. After preaching I met the Society, filling all the 
appointments of the week. 


Very little data are obtainable regarding the Methodist 
congregation from this time till 1840; but without doubt it 
held together, worshipping in different buildings until the 
block house was built. When the Presbyterians bought the 
Baptist chapel at the northeast corner of Duval and Newnan 
Streets in 1844, the Methodists worshipped with them, and 
in 1846 they bought the property from the Presbyterians.¢ 

The custom in that day was to separate the congrega- 
tion, the right-hand side of the building being reserved for 
women and the left for men. The pulpit was raised, but the 
minister sat behind a screen out of view of the congregation. 
The church was afterward provided with English pews, hav- 
ing doors that could be locked; these doors were removed at 
a later date.¢ 

The congregation finally outgrew the chapel. There be- 
ing space on the corner, a larger church was erected in 1858, 
and was called St. Paul’s. It was a wooden building, 41x60 
feet over all, and had a tower in which was a bell. The first 
Methodist parsonage was built in 1867, through the efforts 
of Rev. F. A. Branch.’ 

St. Paul’s went safely through the war and served the 
congregation until 1890, when the building was sold to the 
Roman Catholics. The bell was included in the sale, and was 
consecrated according to the rites of their Church and sent to 
their mission at Pablo Beach. The church was moved to the 
Roman Catholic property across the street in February, 1890. 
As soon as the lot was clear, work on the foundation for a 
new brick Methodist church was begun. The corner-stone 
was laid August 27, 1890. This edifice was of pressed brick, 
heavily trimmed with Indiana limestone and finished off with 
iron cornice. The first service in the new church was held 
in the basement August 23, 1891, before the structure was 
completed. The church, as finally finished, cost about $50,- 
000. It was built through the untiring efforts of Rev. J. B. 
Anderson, and was the outgrowth of a promise made by him 
at the death-bed of his friend, Bishop McTyeire; and in mem- 
ory of the Bishop it was named McTyeire Memorial.‘ The 
building was gutted by fire May 8, 1901. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 395 


In rebuilding the church after the fire, the foundation and 
a considerable portion of the old walls were retained; the 
architecture of the roof and tower was changed somewhat, 
but the base outline is practically the same. The first serv- 
ice in the rebuilt church was held April 20, 1902. The name 
was changed to First Methodist in 1906. 

The School of Christian Education building, immediately 
east of the church, was completed in the fall of 1922. The 
parsonage formerly occupied the site, and it is the site, too, 
of the first church building erected in Jacksonville. 

Pastors since 1846: J. N. Minor, 1846-47; F. A. Johnson, 
1848; E. L. T. Blake, 1849-50; J. M. Valentine-J. C. Ley, 
1851; J. C. Ley, 1852; T. W. Cooper, 1853; Thomas Gardner- 
O. B. Stanley, 1854; D. B. Lynne, 1855; R. McKenro Tydings, 
1856; W. G. M. Qarterman, 1857; J. K. Glover, 1858-59 ;* 
W. M. Kennedy, 1860; R. M. Tydings, 1860-61 ; Church closed 
1862-65 ;” F. A. Branch, 1866-68; Josephus Anderson, 1869- 
71; T. W. Moore, 1872-73; J. B. Fitzpatrick, 1874-75; H. B. 
Frazee, 1876-78 ;“ C. E. Dowman, 1879-80; H. B. Avery, 1881- 
82; E. H. Harman, 1883-84; H. E. Partridge, 1885; H. H. 
Kennedy, 1886-87; J. R. Sharpe, 1888 (died of yellow fever) ; 
J. B. Anderson, 1889-92; J. C. Sale, 1893; R. T. DuBose, 1894- 
96; T. J. Nixon, 1897-98; R. V. Atkisson, 1899-1902; W. M. 
Poage, 1903-05; J. B. Ley, 1906-07; J. W. Bingham, 1908-09; 
Andrew Sledd-I. C. Jenkins, 1910; I. C. Jenkins, 1911; W. J. 
Carpenter, 1912-15; J. B. Mitchell, 1916-22; L. M. Broyles, 
1923-24. 


Protestant Episcopal 


Rev. Raymond A. Henderson, missionary at St. Augus- 
tine, held the first service of the Episcopal Church in Jack- 
sonville, April 12, 1829; in 1834, the Parish was organized, 
under the general act of the Legislative Council of the Ter- 
ritory of Florida for the incorporation of religious bodies.°¢ 
The Episcopal congregation was incorporated by Act 28, of 
the Legislative Council, approved February 23, 1839, which 
provided as follows: 


Be it enacted by the Governor and the Legislative Council of the 
territory of Florida, That William J. Mills and Samuel L. Burritt, 
Wardens, and Robert Biglow, Harrison R. Blanchard and such others as 
were elected Vestrymen of the Episcopal Congregation at Jacksonville, 
and their successors in office, shall be, and they are hereby declared to 


396 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


be a body corporate, by the name and style of the Church Wardens and 
Vestrymen of St. John’s Church at Jacksonville. * * * 


The congregation began to raise funds for the erection of 
a church. The ladies of the Church added materially to the 
building fund by means of a sewing society, over which Mrs. 
Thomas Douglas presided for a long time. One-half of the 
square owned by St. John’s Church, at the head of Market 
Street, was deeded to the Church September 17, 1842, by 
Mrs. Maria Doggett, as a donation; the other portion was ac- 
quired at a later date.¢ 

The corner-stone of the church was laid Sunday, April 
24th, 1842, by Rt. Rev. Christopher Edwards Gadsden, 
Bishop of South Carolina. The structure was soon up and 
services were held in it, but it was not entirely completed 
until 1851, when it was consecrated by Rt. Rev. Stephen El- 
liott, Bishop of Georgia. The building was burned by Fed- 
eral troops March 29th, 1868. 

In building the first church, every person who contributed 
a certain sum of money was given a deed to a pew in his own 
right, and the same was entailed to his heirs. The early 
choir was composed as follows: Dr. A. 8. Baldwin, leader, 
base viol; J. W. Bryant, first flute; William Lancaster, sec- © 
ond flute. The singers were, Mrs. A. M. Reed, who also 
played on a melodeon which a servant carried on his 
shoulders to the church for each service; Miss Eliza Lan- 
easter, and Mrs. William Douglas. The communion service 
consisted of two small waiters and two silver cups—family 
silver loaned by Mrs. Susan L’Engle. A burial plot was pro- 
vided north of the church for members of the congregation, 
and the ashes of some of Jacksonville’s early residents still 
occupy the original graves, although most of the bodies were 
removed many years ago to the old city cemetery on East 
Union Street.¢ 

In 1866, a temporary wooden church was erected and the 
congregation worshipped in it eleven years. The corner 
stone of a new church was laid April 7, 1874; there was con- 
siderable delay in completing it, and it was not until Easter 
Day, April 1, 1877, that the first service was held in the edi- 
fice. This was a handsome red brick church, costing $27,000 
and having a seating capacity for 800. It was consecrated 
May 7, 1882, by Bishop John Freeman Young.‘ This church. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 897 


together with the parish house and the rectory, were de- 
stroyed by fire May 3, 1901. 

The ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the present 
church was performed February 18, 19038, by Rt. Rev. Edwin 
G. Weed, assisted by the rector, Rev. V. W. Shields. The first 
service in the new church was held on Easter Day, 1906. It 
was consecrated May 15, 1911, by Rt. Rev. Edwin G. Weed. 
The cost of this church was $90,000.* 

st. John’s church occupies an elevated site at the head 
of Market Street at its intersection with Duval Street. By 
ordinance of the city council, published July 25, 1870, 


The lots of land in possession of the vestry of St. John’s Episcopal 
Church, fronting Market Street north of Duval, being 210 feet square, 
is and shall be held by said Church to have and to hold forever, Pro- 
vided, always, That that portion of land which encloses the street shail 
be held by said Church exclusively for church and school purposes. 


St. John’s Parish also owns the former home of Mrs. 
Mary Packer Cummings, at Keystone Bluff on the St. Johns 
River, which she bequeathed to the Parish for the purpose 
of a home for children, with sufficient endowment for a lim- 
ited number of children; it has been in operation for several 
years as a home for boys. In 1921, the Parish acquired by 
purchase the handsome dwelling at the southeast corner of 
Market and Duval Streets, which is now used as a community 
house, offices, and guild rooms. In May, 1923, ground was 
broken on the north side of St. John’s church for the erec- 
tion of a Church school and choir school, the building being 
a gift to the Parish by James P. Taliaferro and his daughters, 
Mrs. Jessie T. Hubbard and Mrs. Anna T. Lane, as a memorial 
to the late Mrs. Millicent J. Taliaferro; it was first used by 
the Sunday Schoo! October 5, 1924. 

Mr. Henderson continued to hold occasional services in 
Jacksonville until the summer of 1834; in the fall of that 
year he was succeeded by a regular rector, Rev. David Brown. 
Mr. Brown remained for more than 10 years, he being suc- 
ceeded in May, 1845, by Rev. John Freeman Young. Mr. 
Young was followed by Rev. Isaac Swart in 1848, and Mr. 
Swart by Rev. W. D. Harlow in 1851. Mr. Harlow was rector 
until Rev. W. W. Bours was called in 1855.2 In the memor- 
able year 1857 (yellow fever epidemic) Rev. O. P. Thackara 
came to Jacksonville to do ministerial work in the stricken 


398 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


community and was joined by Rev. F. M. McAllister of 
Georgia. The rector, Mr. Bours, was on a visit to his family 
in New York at the time the fever broke out, but when the 
sickness became serious he at once returned to his charge, 
and after a devotion that was unsurpassed in his attention to 
others he himself died of yellow fever. A marble tablet to 
his memory stood upon the interior wall of the church be- 
fore it was burned during the war. Messrs. Bours, Thackara 
and McAllister were a noble christian band all through the 
terrible epidemic.’ In 1858, Rev. Samuel Kerr (pronounced 
Carr) was called to the Parish. Mr. Kerr was followed in 
1861 by Rev. Horatio H. Hewett. Mr. Hewett was a North- 
ern man and left with the Federal squadron in 1862, and the 
Parish remained vacant until after the war.° 


Rev. O. P. Thackara again came to St. John’s and took 
temporary charge, in February, 1866, and remained until 
December of that year, when a permanent rector, Rev. W. 
Eston Epps was called. Mr. Epps was succeeded by Rev. R. 
H. Weller, June 18, 1869. Mr. Weller was the rector 20 
years, during which time several missions, that have since 
grown to be large Churches, were established, among them 
Good Shepherd in Riverside. Rev. V. W. Shields succeeded 
Mr. Weller December 2, 1889. The Parish under Dr. Shields’s 
charge continued its expansion and growth. With the ap- 
proach of his 35th year of continuously active service, the 
longest in the history of any of Jacksonville’s Churches, Dr. 
Shields wished to resign, believing that a younger man 
should take up the work; but his congregation refused to 
part with the loving influence that many of them had known 
throughout their lives, and elected him Rector Emeritus in 
order that they might have him with them still in actual 
contact. Dr. Shields was succeeded as rector of St. John’s 
by Rev. M. Doswell October 19, 1924. 


Roman Catholic 


During the pioneer years services of the Roman Catholic 
Church were conducted at the home of some one of the 
Church members. The first purchase by the Church in Jack- 
sonville was the lot at the northwest corner of Duval and 
Newnan Streets from I. D. Hart, the deed being made to 
Bishop Gartland of Savannah and the consideration men- 
tioned being “one penny”. The precise date of the erection 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 399 


of the first church, which was built through the efforts of 
Father Edmund Aubriel, is not known, but it was certainly 
prior to 1847, as the map of Jacksonville of that year shows 
that the church was there at that time. Although the Parish 
had not been created, religious services were carried out with 
regularity and in accordance with the established rules of 
the Church. 

Back of the altar was a beautiful painting of the Immacu- 
late Conception of Our Lady, a gift from the French Govern- 
ment. It is an interesting fact that the church was dedicated 
as the Immaculate Conception several years prior to the time 
that the dogma was defined as an Article of Faith by Pope 
Pius IX in 1854. It is said that the painting was saved when 
the church was burned by Federal soldiers in 1863, but its 
history cannot be traced further.¢ 

Under date of March 29, 1868 (the day of the evacuation), 
the correspondent of the New York Tribune, with the Federal 
army at Jacksonville, wrote his paper: 


Yesterday the beautiful little cottage used as the Catholic parson- 
age, together with the church, was fired by some of the soldiers, and in 
a short time burned to the ground. Before the flames had fairly reached 
the church, the soldiers had burst open the doors and commenced sack- 
ing it of everything of value. The organ was in a moment torn to strips 
and almost every soldier who came out seemed to be celebrating the 
occasion by blowing through an organ pipe. 


Dr. Alfred Walton, medical officer of the Eighth Maine 
regiment at Jacksonville, wrote in his diary: 


Saturday, March 28, 1863: At 9 a. m. some of the boys set fire to 
the Catholic church and it together with the parsonage, all furnished, 
was destroyed. Two other houses were also burned before the fire was 
put out. 


The claim of the Church for recovery for this loss was 
denied by the U. S. Congress on the ground that no direct 
evidence was submitted that the soldiers burned the prop- 
erty.” 

In rebuilding the church after the war the site selected, 
though in the same block, was at the southwest corner of 
Newnan and Church Streets. The work of rebuilding was 
begun in 1871, and completed March 8, 1874, when the church 
was consecrated by Bishop Gross of Savannah. This was a 


400 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


plain brick building without spire or steeple. This church 
was destroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901. 


The site for the new church was again changed, to the 
northeast corner of Ocean and Duval Streets, but still in the 
same block, all of which is now owned by the Church. Here 
on Sunday, April 7, 1907, the ceremony of laying the 
corner-stone of the present edifice was performed by Bishop 
Kenny of St. Augustine. The basement walls of the church 
are of brick and rest on a foundation of reinforced concrete; 
the superstructure is of Kentucky limestone. The style is 
Gothic, with a tapering main spire surmounted by a cross 
17814 feet above the sidewalk.t The building represents 
nearly four years of continuous work and an outlay of $160,- 
000. This church was dedicated December 8, 1910, in the 
presence of 2,000 spectators of all denominations, by Bishop 
Kenny, assisted in the ceremonies by Bishop Foley of the 
Philippines, Very Rev. William McGinnis of Brooklyn, N. Y., 
and Rev. M. Maher, pastor of the church.’ 

The Roman Catholic Parish of Jacksonville was not estab- 
lished until 1857. Previously, the residents of the town of 
this faith, few in number, received the ministrations of visit- 
ing priests from St. Augustine and Savannah. Worthy of 
note among them for their zealous and arduous work were 
Fathers Claude Rampon and Patrick Hackett, who resided 
at St. Augustine and visited Jacksonville at regular intervals 
from 18386 to 1848; and Fathers Benedict Madeore and Ed- 
mund Aubriel, who likewise resided at St. Augustine and 
visited Jacksonville from 1843 to 1858./ 


In 1857 the former territory of East Florida, which had 
been included hitherto within the Diocese of Savannah, was 
constituted a separate ecclesiastical jurisdiction as Vicariate- 
Apostolic, with Bishop Verot in charge. The first resident 
pastor at Jacksonville was Rev. William J. Hamilton, who 
came from Savannah in 1857. He was a man of remarkable 
organizing ability. After establishing the Church at Jack- 
sonville on a solid basis, he was transferred in 1861 to a more 
important field of work in the Diocese of Mobile, where he 
died in a few years. His successor in Jacksonville was Rev. 
M. Penough, who remained until 1864./ 


After the War Between the States, Father Chambon and 
the Very Rev. Father Clavreal had charge of all the missions 
in Florida for several years, Jacksonville being their head- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 401 


quarters. After Father Clavreal, Father Laudry was pastor 
for a short time. Rev. Charles Gaboury was pastor from 
1869 to 1872. The Very Rev. Father P. Dufau, Vicar-General 
of the diocese, succeeded him and remained in charge until 
his death in 1881. After the death of Father Dufau, Father 
Bernard O’Reilly was in charge until 1884. In June, 1884, 
Father William Kenny (afterward Bishop of St. Augustine) 
was appointed pastor at Jacksonville and retained charge 
until his elevation to the Episcopate in May, 1902. Father 
Kenny endeared himself to the people on account of his great 
charitable work at the time of the yellow fever epidemic of 
1888 and the fire of 1901. The present pastor, Rev. Dr. 
Michael Maher, was appointed to fill the vacancy created by 
the elevation of Father Kenny. Upon assuming charge he 
was confronted by the enormous task of restoring the church, 
orphanage, convent, schools, and priests’ residence, all de- 
stroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901, which entailed a loss of 
more than $200,000. The restored buildings stand today as 
a monument to his energy. 


Baptist 


The Baptist denomination was established in Jackson- 
ville in July, 1838, by Rev. James McDonald and Rev. Ryan 
Frier. Mr. Frier was the State Missionary at that time. 
There were six charter members, namely, Rev. James Mc- 
Donald and wife, Elias G. Jaudon and wife, and two colored 
persons—Peggy, a slave of Elias G. Jaudon, and Bacchus, a 
slave of William Edwards. Rev. James McDonald was the 
first pastor, and Elias G. Jaudon the first deacon.¢ 

The congregation increased, and in 1840, purchased the 
northeast corner at Duval and Newnan Streets, where a 
chapel was erected. This was the first church building 
erected in Jacksonville. It was a small wooden structure, 
with a seating capacity for about 100 persons. It had a 
square tower-like steeple in which was a bell. In front was 
a small piazza; there was but one entrance door. The Bap- 
tists sold this property to the Presbyterians in 1844, and 
then bought a plot of ground two miles west of the court 
house (Myrtle Avenue, between Adams and Duval Streets), 
on which they erected a small brick church.< This building 
was partially wrecked during the War Between the States, 
as it was the scene of nearly all the fighting that occurred 


402 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


near Jacksonville. The little brick church had a war history. 
Pickets and out-posts were stationed there whenever Jack- 
sonville was occupied by the Federal troops and near it the 
first blood of the war in this vicinity was shed. Sentinel-like, 
it witnessed scenes that have never found a place in print. 
A few years after the brick church was built, Elias G. Jau- 
don bought a piece of ground adjoining the church and 
donated it to the Church for a burial ground. 

Finding themselves too far from the center of the city, 
it was decided to make yet another change in location, and 
again Deacon Jaudon came to the assistance of the Church 
by buying and donating a lot on Church Street, between 
Julia and Hogan. Here a house of worship was erected, and 
dedicated February 23, 1861. Soon after this the war came 
on and disrupted the congregation. After the battle of 
Olustee, the building was taken possession of by the Federal 
army and used as a hospital for wounded soldiers, and from 
this time until the close of the war it was used as a military 
hospital. The building was left in a deplorable condition, 
scarcely a pane of glass remaining in the windows and very 
little plastering on the walls. The claim of the First Baptist 
Church for $1,170 damages done to the building during the 
war was approved by the U. 8S. Congress in February, 1912. 

At the close of the war an effort was made to separate 
the white and the colored members of the congregation, but 
the colored members being in the majority refused to give 
possession to the white members. The colored members 
finally accepted an offer of $400 for their interest in the 
property, withdrew, and built for themselves a new church, 
which they called Bethel Baptist, taking the original name. 
The church of the white congregation was then re-named 
Tabernacle.¢ 

In 1892 the church property on Church Street (the site 
is now occupied by the club house of the American legion) 
was sold. The present site at the northeast corner of Church 
and Hogan Streets was acquired in October, 1892, at a cost 
of $9,000. A Sunday School building was erected on the 
inside of this lot facing Church Street, as a unit of the 
future church, then called First Baptist instead of Taber- 
nacle,‘ but the fire of 1901 destroyed it before the church was 
completed. 


oi < Ss 
Pct «. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 403 


The corner-stone of the present church was laid Febru- 
ary 2, 1903. Appropriate addresses were made by D. U. 
Fletcher, and Dr. J. F. Forbes of Stetson University. The 
church was completed in one year. It is of Bedford stone 
and was erected at a cost, including furnishings, of about 
$50,000. The church is 86x105 feet ground area.? Extensive 
repairs were made to the interior in the winter of 1923-24 
when the auditorium was enlarged to a capacity of 1,200. 

Rev. James McDonald was pastor from 1838 to 1846. 
From 1846 to 1850, there were several unimportant short 
pastorates, in which the Church seems to have been unfortu- 
nate in obtaining unworthy or incompetent men. In 1850, 
Rev. Joseph S. Baker became pastor and served four years, 
during which time the Church and Sunday School prospered. 
In 1859, Rev. E. W. Dennison was called. At this time the 
membership was 40 white and 250 colored. Mr. Dennison’s 
pastorate closed in 1862, and there is no record to indicate 
that the Church had a pastor then until Rev. P. P. Bishop 
came in 1867. Mr. Bishop was followed in 1869 by Rev. 
Frank W. Johnson, and he in 1871 by Rev. W. W. Keepon, 
who was pastor one year; then Rev. B. W. Whilden from 
1873 until 1875, followed by H. B. McCallum as supply. Rev. 
M. M. Wambolt took up the pastorate in 1876. In 1880, Rev. 
J. Fk. B. Mays came and remained two years; he was followed 
by Rev. George K. Allen, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. 
S. K. Leavett in 1884. Mr. Leavett was pastor until April, 
1889, and was succeeded by Rev. L. B. Plumer, who served 
the Church two years. In 1892, Rev. Malcolm McGregor was 
called and was pastor until October, 1895, being succeeded 
by Rev. J. J. Parsons in February, 1896, who remained until 
December, 1899, and was followed by Rev. W. A. Hobson in 
May, 1900. Mr. Hobson’s pastorate was the longest in the 
history of the Church, being continuous until his resignation 
in 1923. Rev. L. G. Broughton succeeded Mr. Hobson in 
October, 1923. 


Presbyterian 


Preliminary to the actual formation of the Presbyterian 
congregation at Jacksonville articles of incorporation were 
granted by the Legislative Council of the Territory of Flor- 
ida, Act No. 51, approved March 2, 1840, which provided as 
follows: 


404 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Section 1. Be it enacted by the Governor and Legislative Council 
of the Territory of Florida, That from and after the approval of this 
act, the Presbyterian congregation at Jacksonville, in East Florida, 
shall be incorporated and be a body politic, by the name and style of 
the Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, and by that name shall be 
capable and liable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, 
defend and be defended, and to have, hold, possess, and enjoy real and 
personal estate; * * * 

Section 2. Be it further enacted, That for the better government 
of said incorporation, O. Congar, O. M. Dorman, Harrison R. Blanchard, 
Stephen Eddy, and L. D. Miller, be, and they are hereby appointed Trus- 
tees of “The Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville”, * * * 

Section 3. Be it further enacted, That all the white members of 
said church shall be deemed qualified electors at any and every election 
for trustees of said church. * * * 


The Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville was actually 
formed December 29, 1843, when five male members duly 
banded themselves together in connection with the Presby- 
tery of Georgia, Rev. Mr. Baird being present with them as 
a delegate from that body. Obadiah Congar and William B. 
Barton were elected and ordained elders. On the Sabbath 
day following, being the 31st of December, 1848, the signifi- 
cant and touching rite of the Lord’s Supper was administered 
and one new member was added to the Church by exami- 
nation.¢ 

In the following year (1844) the Baptists having decided 
to build in another locality (West LaVilla) offered their 
chapel at the northeast corner of Duval and Newnan Streets 
for sale. Captain Congar and two others purchased it. “We 
bought it”; says Captain Congar, “‘to keep it from falling into 
the hands of some worldly persons for speculative purposes”. 
This chapel was used by the Presbyterians as a meeting house 
for two years. Their first pastor, Rev. A. B. Burke, preached 
to them there, but only for several months as lack of funds 
made it impossible to retain him. Owing to the cost of up- 
keep the Presbyterians were compelled to dispose of the 
property and they sold it to the Methodists in 1846. Soon 
afterward, Captain Congar set about raising funds to build 
a small session house on a plot of ground belonging to him- 
self (at the southeast corner of Ocean and Monroe Streets) 
for the purpose of holding prayer meetings and other reli- 
gious services when they should have a minister. He solicited 
funds from friends and relatives in the North and began the 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 405 


erection of the building about the first of the year, 1847. In 
February, 1847, it was under roof and the “glass in”; it was 
completed in March following. This was a plain one-story 
wooden building and seated about 60 persons. The other 
denominations were invited to use it and several of them did, 
and it was later used for school purposes also. Just before 
his death in 1848, Captain Congar deeded this property to 
the Presbyterian Church.¢ 

Captain Obadiah Congar was a pious sea-captain, born 
near Newark, N. J., in 1768, retired, settled at St. Augustine 
in 1831, and moved to Jacksonville in 1838, where he resided 
until his death in 1848. He died while on a visit to his old 
home in New Jersey and is buried there.¢ The Presbyterian 
Church of Jacksonville was established and largely main- 
tained in the pioneer years through his efforts and zeal. 

In 1854 Miss Phoebe Swart gave $100 to start a fund for 
building a church. Rev. A. W. Sproull, pastor at that time, 
visited the Churches in the South for the purpose of soliciting 
funds and he collected considerable money in this way.’ The 
church was completed in 1855, and dedicated in November 
of that year. Its location was on the corner just west of 
the conference house. This church went safely through the 
war. From the close of the war to July, 1866, it was used 
by the U. S. Government for purposes connected with the 
Freedmen’s Bureau. 

After the War Between the States serious dissensions 
arose among the members of the congregation. The pastors 
from the North who occupied the pulpit attempted to change 
the ecclesiastical relation of the Church from the Presbytery 
of Florida to which it was then attached, to that of Philadel- 
phia of the Northern Assembly. This movement was opposed 
by the Southern element of the Church and when it prevailed 
nine members withdrew on March 6, 1867, elected new officers 
and continued to exist as the original Presbyterian Church 
of Jacksonville. The church and other property were held 
by the Northern members.! 

The little band of nine members soon increased to sixteen 
and on June 80, 1867, Rev. W. B. Telford preached to them 
in the Methodist church, then called St. Paul’s. After wor- 
shipping in Hoeg’s hall for some time the Southern congre- 
gation purchased a lot at the southeast corner of Monroe and 
Newnan Streets where in the latter part of 1870 they erected 


406 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


a frame building for Church and Sunday School purposes. 
They worshipped here until May 1, 1900, when the Newnan 
Street Church having a membership of 237 and the Ocean 
Street Church with a membership of 119 were consolidated 
as the First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville and the 
properties of the two Churches passed into the hands of the 
trustees of the consolidated Church. Thus the two Churches 
were again united at the original location on Ocean Street. 
The property on Newnan Street was afterward sold.” The 
church on Ocean Street was destroyed in the fire of May 
on L901: 

Preliminary steps for rebuilding the church were taken 
in July, 1901, and actual work began in the following Decem- 
ber. The corner-stone was laid January 22, 1902, with 
Masonic ceremonies conducted by Grand Lodge F. & A. M. 
which happened to be in annual communication here at the 
time. Rapid progress was made in construction and on June 
1, 1902, the first service was held in the new church. The 
plans provided for an octagon-shaped auditorium with a 
seating capacity of 500, supplemented by. two main galleries 
providing room for 50 more. In the arrangement of the 
interior the Sunday School room, with a capacity of 300, 
could be thrown open and used in connection with the audi- 
torium.* 

The growth of the Church made necessary the erection 
of the Sabbath School and Church activities building next to 
the church; this building was dedicated June 6, 1923. 

After the departure of Mr. Burke in 1845, Obadiah Congar 
conducted the services until 1848. Rev. J. H. Myers (pastor 
at St. Augustine) occasionally preached to the Jacksonville 
congregation until the arrival of a regular pastor, Rev. A. W. 
Sproull, in 1854. Mr. Sproull was the pastor until the fall 
of 1856 and was followed by Rev. Donald Frazier, and Mr. 
Frazier by Rev. James Little in 1859. Mr. Little enlisted in 
the Confederate army and did not resume his pastorate at 
Jacksonville after the war.’ It is not known how long Rev. 
W. B. Telford, who was the first to preach to the Southern 
congregation in 1867, remained at Jacksonville. In January, 
1869, Rev. Thomas L. DeVeaux of Madison, Fla., came as 
supply and was afterward installed as pastor; he remained 
until April 1, 1872. From this time until 1875, the Church 
had no regular pastor, but services were conducted at inter- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA A407 


vals by Rev. David Wills, Rev. R. B. Anderson, Rev. Joseph 
Brown, Rev. Thomas Gilsay, Rev. Peter McKay, and occa- 
sionally by Rev. Frank Johnson of the Baptist Church. Dur- 
ing the summer of 1873 and from April lst to December 31st, 
1874, Rev. William H. Dodge conducted the services; he was 
installed as pastor in January, 1875.’ Mr. Dodge was the 
pastor until April 30, 1900. During the summer of 1900, 
Rev. W. A. Alexander served as supply. In September, 1900, 
Rev. W. E. Boggs came as supply and was afterward installed 
as pastor, remaining until November, 1908. Mr. Boggs was 
followed by Rev. J. W. Graybill in January, 1909. Mr. Gray- 
bill died in March, 1912, and the Church remained without a 
pastor until January 1, 1918, when Rev. J. B. French came as 
supply; he was installed as pastor in the following April. 
Dr. French served the Church until his death in February, 
1918. Dr. Lindsay E. McNair, at the time a chaplain at 
Camp Johnston, accepted a unanimous call to the pastorate, 
vacant since the death of Dr. French. Dr. McNair held his 
first service as pastor November 10, 1918.” 


Congregational: 


The Congregational Church of Jacksonville had its birth 
at a meeting held November 8, 1875, at the residence of 
William Stetson. At that meeting committees were ap- 
pointed to select a location for a chapel, which resulted in 
the purchase of a lot 105 feet square at the southwest corner 
of Church and Hogan Streets from Solon Robinson for $2,500 
on ten years’ time at 10 per cent interest. The chapel was 
started soon afterward. On December 8, 1875, a constitution 
was adopted; this was eight years prior to the organization 
of the General Congregational Association in Florida, in 
December, 1883. The Union Congregational Church of Jack- 
sonville was organized January 9, 1876, with 19 members; 
on the same day the chapel was dedicated, by Rev. C. L. 
Woodworth, Secretary of the American Missionary Asso- 
ciation. 

In 1888 the question of a larger church was advanced 
and a building fund was started, but the yellow fever epi- 
demic of that year, followed by other unfavorable circum- 
stances delayed matters and it was not until 1898 that finan- 
cial arrangements were perfected. The little chapel was 
moved and on its site the foundation for a brick church was 


408 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


laid. The first service in the new church was held June 26, 
1898, though the church was far from completion at the 
time; it was dedicated February 5, 1899, by Rev. A. M. 
MacDonald. The edifice was erected at a cost of $10,000; it 
was Gothic in style and quite imposing. This church was 
burned in the fire of May 3, 1901. 

With $10,000 insurance money as a nucleus, funds for 
rebuilding the church were contributed and by the autumn 
of 1902 plans for its erection had been started. On April 12, 
1903, the first service was held in the church, and regularly 
thereafter. This was a brick church erected at a cost of 
$22,000. The style was Old English Gothic. It was dedi- 
cated January 17, 1904, by Dr. E. Lyman Hood. Three Con- 
gregational churches had now been built on that corner. 

On account of street noises during service hours the 
trustees decided to sell the church property and rebuild else- 
where. They accepted an offer of $80,000 for the holdings 
of the Church at the corner of Hogan and Church Streets in 
November, 1911. Pending the negotiations the selection of 
the present site on the south side of Church Street between 
Hogan and Julia was made and when the funds from the 
sale became available the lot was purchased and the erection 
of the church begun in June, 1912. The last service in the 
old church was held July 7, 1912; the congregation worshipped 
in the Jewish synagogue during the rebuilding. The new 
church was under construction exactly a year. On March 9, 
1918, a service was held in the assembly hall, but the church 
was not permanently occupied until June 15, 1913. It was 
dedicated by Rev. A. M. MacDonald, a former pastor, Jan- 
uary 17, 1904. The edifice is 102x80 feet over all, con- 
structed of white brick and terra cotta and represented at 
the time of building an outlay of about $90,000. The main 
auditorium is 60x60 and 26 feet high; as originally designed 
30 rooms were provided to be used for Church purposes. 

The struggles of the trustees all during the early years 
to keep out of debt and at the same time progress reveal a 
wonderful example of perseverance. They were frequently 
near the line, but seldom far below it. At one time a legacy 
of land at Panama almost forced them into the real estate 
business to dispose of it and did involve the Church in a 
law suit.? 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 409 


The work started by Rev. C. L. Woodworth was taken up 
by Rev. Henry F. Hyde, who remained during the most of 
1876. Rev. Solon Cobb came in December, 1876, and served 
until June, 1878. Then in turn: Samuel Bell, 1878-79; H. L. 
Kendall, 1879-80; S. D. Paine, 1880-81; E. H. Curtis, 1881-82; 
S. F. Gale, May, 1883, to October, 1886. All of these were 
supply pastors. The first pastor regularly installed by the 
Church was Rev. Russell T. Hall in February, 1888, Dr. Ly- 
man Abbott of Brooklyn taking part in the ceremonies. Mr. 
Hall resigned in December, 1891. Rev. C. L. Woodworth 
returned to the Church in 1892 and was its supply pastor 
until February, 1894. Rev. Angus M. MacDonald was in- 
stalled in October, 1894, and he served the Church until Jan- 
uary, 1903. The succeeding pastors were: Rev. F. A. Stevens 
(supply), 1903; Rev. E. Lyman Hood, January, 1904, to 
October, 1905; Rev. George L. Hanscom, April, 1906, to 
March, 1912; Rev. H. T. Sell, May, 1912, to May, 1916; Rev. 
F. R. Marsh, October, 1916, to November, 1920; Rev. E. C. 
Gillette, December, 1920, to date. 


Lutheran 


During the first week of December, 1877, a number of 
German residents held a meeting for the purpose of organ- 
izing a Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, to be known as the 
Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. John. Sufficient funds 
were soon raised to buy a lot at the northeast corner of 
Ashley and Laura Streets 5214x105 feet, facing Ashley. 
Work was begun on the church April 3, 1878, and the build- 
ing was finished and dedicated May 19, 1878. The ceremony 
of dedication was performed in both English and German. 
This was a neat frame chapel costing $1,700. It was de- 
stroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901. 

On May 15, 1901, services were held at a private residence, 
and afterward there was a meeting at which resolutions were 
passed to rebuild the church at the old site at once. In Octo- 
ber, 1901, the Tabernacle Baptist temporary shack near 
Church and Hogan Streets was rented for $12.50 a month; 
here regular services were held until the following July. In 
the meantime work on the new church at Ashley and Laura 
streets was progressing, the corner-stone having been laid 
May 4, 1902, with regular ceremony and appropriate sermon 
by Rey. M. J. Epting of Savannah. Pastor Rahn preached 


410 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


the opening sermon in the Sunday School room of the new 
church October 12, 1902. Services were held there until 
December 24, 1905, when the auditorium was dedicated by 
Dr. A. G. Voight of the Lutheran Theological Seminary of 
Mt. Pleasant, S.C. This church is a red brick building with 
slate roof, and was erected at a cost of $12,000. It comprises 
a Sunday School room in the basement, auditorium, and a six- 
room parsonage built in. The equipment, including real 
stained glass windows, cost an additional $6,000.° 

Originally the congregation was alone and independent, 
conducted by a few members and a pastor until 1889, when 
it joined the Synod of Georgia and adjacent States. Since 
May, 1918, it has been governed by the Model Constitution 
of the Synod, which is Apostolic in its sense. The congrega- 
tion numbers about 290 members.? 

Pastors: Rev. C. F. Bansemer was the first pastor and 
remained until his death February 3, 1889.6 Rev. J. Rein- 
hardt, May-July, 1889; Rev. A. G. Delfs, August, 1889-May, 
1890; Rev. J. F. Probst, September, 1890-June, 1895; Rev. 
S. S. Rahn, January, 1896, to his death, July 1, 1911; Rev. 
T. G. Hartwig, October, 1911-July, 1915; Rev. W. H. Hiller, 
November, 1915, to date. 


Congregation Ahavath Chesed 


Several of the more prominent Hebrews of this city met 
in the circuit court rooms in the L’Engle building on January 
18, 1882, and organized the Society Ahavath Chesed. M. A. 
Dzialynski was the first president. Steps were taken at once 
to raise funds to purchase the lot at the southeast corner of 
Laura and Union Streets. Soon sufficient funds were in hand 
to purchase the lot and commence the synagogue. The 
building was dedicated September 8, 1882, by Rabbi Marx 
Moses. There were 24 members at that time. The syna- 
gogue cost $7,000. The seats were of maple, with framework 
of ash and mountings of black walnut. There were 28 seats 
in two rows, giving three aisles and a seating capacity for 
400 persons. The chandaliers were novel and beautiful, with 
a central corona of 36 gas jets. The entrance was from a 
vestibule through three full swinging doors.‘ This building 
was consumed in the fire of May 3, 1901. 

Immediately after the fire plans were laid for rebuilding 
the synagogue on the same site. The corner-stone of the new 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 411 


building was laid November 15, 1901, and it was completed 
and occupied January 20, 1902. This was the first house of 
worship rebuilt after the fire. The needs of the congregation 
soon outgrew this synagogue, and it was sold to the Christian 
Scientists in January, 1908, who afterward sold it to the 
Greek Orthodox Church.’ 

After selling the synagogue Congregation Ahavath 
Chesed bought the southeast corner of Laura and Ashley 
Streets and began the erection of the present temple. The 
corner-stone was laid October 19, 1909, and the temple was 
dedicated September 23-24, 1910. Assisting the local rabbi, 
Pizer Jacobs, in the two-day ceremonies were Rabbi E. N. 
Calish of Richmond, Va., and Rabbi Harry Weiss.’ 

Rabbi Marx Moses was the first rabbi of the congregation 
and remained until 1885. Rabbi A. Rosenspitz followed Dr. 
Moses, but served less than a year. Dr. Ignatz Kaiser was 
rabbi from July, 1886, until the autumn of 1887. The con- 
gregation was without a rabbi from this time until July, 1888, 
when Rabbi J. Kahn was called. He was followed in 1890 by 
Rabbi 8S. Rosenberg. Then followed the Rabbis: B. Babbino, 
1893 to 1900; David H. Wittenberg, 1900 to August, 1905; 
Pizer Jacobs, March, 1906, to January, 1912; Samuel 
Schwartz, September, 1912, to August, 1916; I. L. Kaplan, 
September, 1916, to date.’ 


Christian 

In March, 18838, a society of about 35 members who had 
previously been worshipping with other Churches, was formed 
as the Christian Women’s Missionary Society and money was 
donated for the purpose of establishing and maintaining a 
Christian Church in Jacksonville. The society met regularly 
and a permanent organization was perfected January 27, 
1884. The lower room of the Odd Fellows’ hall was rented; 
then library hall at the southeast corner of Laura and Adams 
Streets became their place of worship.’ 

On August 9, 1885, a Christian chapel was dedicated to 
the memory of Hal B. Smith, who the year before had been 
drowned while sailing on the river. It was located at the 
northwest corner of Charles and Rossell Streets in Riverside 
and was erected at a cost of $800. This property was later 
sold. 


412 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


The parent Church continued to hold services in library 
hall in the morning and in Riverside chapel in the afternoon 
and evening,’ until 1886, when a lot 42x60 feet at the south- 
west corner of Main and Beaver Streets was purchased and 
a small wooden church was erected on it. The congregation 
worshipped here several years, but the property did not prove 
satisfactory and was sold to a negro congregation on time 
payments. After the sale the Christian congregation held 
their services in various places, first in a hall over Randolph’s 
restaurant, Main and Adams Streets; then in library hall; in 
the board of trade rooms; in the dining room of the Oxford 
hotel across from the St. James; then in the Union building 
at Adams and Main Streets. Finally they went back to the 
church at Main and Beaver Streets, the colored congregation 
having failed in their payments. This church was burned 
in the fire of May 3, 1901. Shortly before the fire the Chris- 
tian Church had bought the southeast corner of Monroe and. 
Hogan Streets, its present location, and when the fire of 
May 3, 1901, came the foundation for the new church was 
being built.¢ 

The Sunday School rooms of the present First Christian 
church were first used on June 1, 1902. The auditorium was 
completed a year later, the first services being held there 
June 7, 1903." A unique feature of the campaign for funds 
to complete the church was the selling of shingles to the 
public for 10 cents each, by which a substantial sum was 
raised. The cost of the completed edifice was in the neigh- 
borhood of $45,000 and it is now practically free of debt. It 
is built of the so-called Miami rock, some of which was im- 
ported from Nassau, N. P.; this material has now hardened © 
to the substance of granite.¢ 

The services were conducted by Elder W. Bennett Young 
until the arrival of a permanent pastor, Rev. T. H. Blenus, 
in May, 1885. Mr. Blenus accepted a call to Savannah in 
June, 1888, and there was no permanent pastor until 1893, 
when Rev. John Friend was called ;‘ he however remained but 
four months. Rev. 8S. P. Benbrook was the pastor when the 
congregation went back to the church at Main and Beaver 
Streets. Rev. M. B. Ingle followed Mr. Benbrook and was 
pastor until November 1, 1895. Rev. J. J. Irvine was pastor 
from February, 1896, to June, 1898. During the intervals 
between these pastors, Elder Rufus A. Russell usually con- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 413 


ducted the services. Rev. J. T. Boone, the present pastor, 
held his first service here December 4, 1898, and his pastorate 
of a quarter of a century has been marked by great achieve- 
ment, for from the parent Church have sprung three other 
Churches in the city and four in nearby settlements. 


Christian Science’ 


The first record of a Christian Science Society in Jack- 
sonville was a notice in the local paper of October 1, 1892, as 
follows: 


The Christian Science Bible Class will meet at the residence of Mrs. 
James Douglas, southwest corner of Liberty and Church Streets, at 10 
am., Sunday. <A lady from Atlanta is expected, who will lead the 
class. Seekers after truth are cordially invited. 


Although increasing in membership very slowly, the so- 
ciety continued to hold meetings at the homes of its members. 
The First Church of Christ, Scientist, was organized in 1897, 
and incorporated in June ot that year, with a mere handful 
of peopie. Membership now began to increase, and in the 
latter part of 1900 they purchased the property of the Pres- 
byterian Church at the southeast corner of Monroe and New- 
nan Streets for $5,000. The old building was repaired and 
put in good shape, and in January, 1901, the Christian 
Scientists held their first service in it. The fire of May 3, 
1901, destroyed the building and scattered the congregation. 
Nevertheless, in the following September they built a small 
chapel on the lot and renewed efforts were made to reorgan- 
ize and buiid up the congregation. This was their home until 
1908. in January, 19038, the First Church of Christ, Scien- 
tist, bought the Jewish synagogue at the southeast corner of 
Laura and Union Streets and held their first service in it 
February 9,1908. ‘The chapel at Monroe and Newnan Streets 
was then used as a reading room until purchased by Morocco 
‘Tempie in 1910. 

The Christian Science congregation, having outgrown the 
accommodations afforded by their small house of worship at 
Laura and Union Streets, sold the property to the Greek Or- 
thodox congregation in April, 1919. Until November, 1921, 
they had no permanent home and held their meetings prin- 
cipally in the Woman’s Club rooms. In the meantime, plans 
were carried forward for the handsome $80,000 house of 


414 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


worship at Laura and First Streets, Springfield, ground for 
it being broken in May, 1921. Construction advanced rapid- 
ly and although the exterior and the auditorium had not been 
entirely completed at the time, the first service was held 
there November 24, 1921, and regularly thereafter. 


Unitarian’ 


Rev. A. J. Coleman of Boston, Secretary for Florida of 
the American Unitarian Association, held the first service of 
the Unitarian Congregational Church in Jacksonville at No. 
23 West Adams Street on February 4, 1906. Mr. Coleman 
remained in Jacksonville, bringing together the congregation 
and preaching to them regularly in different halls in the city. 

Early in 1908, plans were laid for a church and late in the 
spring ground was broken at the southeast corner of Hogan 
and Union Streets for it. Work progressed rapidly during 
the summer and fall, and on December 27, 1908, the first 
service was held in the vestry, as the auditorium was not 
entirely completed. The church was dedicated February 3, 
1909, a feature of the ceremonies being the participation by 
pastors of other denominations. 

The church is 72 feet long and 40 feet wide, with an audi- 
torium having a seating capacity for 250 persons. The ar- 
chitecture is Roman Ionic and the construction concrete with 
copper trimmings. 

Rev. A. J. Coleman was pastor until May 1, 1911. He 
was followed in 1911 by Rev. Samuel B. Nobbs, who resigned 
in 1918. Rev. W. C. Pierce came in 1914 and occupied the 
pulpit until 1919, and was succeeded by Rev. A. J. Coleman, 
who had served the church in the beginning. Mr. Coleman 
resigned in the summer of 1924, since which time the pulpit 
has remained vacant. 


Bibliography, Chapter XXII 

aFifty-two years in Florida, J. C. Ley; bHistory of Florida, Webb; cAnnual of First 
Baptist Church, 1909; dMrs. W. M. Bostwick ; eHistorical Sketches of the Church, J. J. 
Daniel; fFather J. Veale; gAutobiography of Obadiah Congar, ed. by Rev. H. T. 
Cheever, 1851; hFrom the early newspapers ; 7Local press accounts; jRev. O. P. Thack- 
ara; kDr. M. Maher ; lRev. W. H. Dodge; mManual of First Presbyterian Church, 1914; 
From the records of the Church ; ; oL. W. Hanne, Secy. of Board; pRecords of the Con- 
gregation ; gRufus A. Russell; rEsgate’s History of Jacksonville, 1885; sDiary of O. L. 
Keene, old resident; tEvening Times-Union, Jan. 18, 1896; uFrom various published 
sources ; vRev. H. E. Partridge. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 415 


CHAPTER XXIII 
THE SCHOOLS 


The first record of a school in Jacksonville was a notice in 
the Jacksonville Courier in 1835, that Alexander Graham 
was the conductor of a ‘“Male and Female” school here at that 
time. Possibly Jacksonville’s first-born white child attended 
it, for she was then ten years of age. 


*A late biographer states that Ossian Hart, son of I. D. 
Hart, was born in Jacksonville, in January, 1821; convincing 
evidence points to this as an error. It was the general knowl- 
edge of the early residents, before the War Between the States, 
that the distinction of being the first white child born in the 
immediate vicinity of Jacksonville, belonged to Sarah Ann 
Hogans, daughter of L. Z. and Maria Hogans. She was born 
July 28, 1825, in the Hogans home situated near the present 
intersection of Hogan and Forsyth Streets. Sarah Ann Hogans 
married Uriah Bowden and lived and died in Jacksonville. 


Maybe “‘Professor” Graham rodded “reading, writing and 
arithmetic” into the systems of a number of boys and girls 
who afterward became prominent in the business, profession- 
al and social life of the State. Unfortunately, there is not 
sufficient record to compile the complete history of this early 
school, but it seems to have been in existence for several 
years. 

Fragmentary records of the system of local education 
begin again about 1845, following the ending of the first 
Seminole war. The Odd Fellows had built a two-story 
wooden structure at the southeast corner of Adams and 
Market Streets, hall below and lodge rooms above, reached 
by steps on the outside of the building. For years this hall 
was used as a school room, and there is much traditional his- 
tory about it. It is said that the teacher took advantage of 
any noise up-stairs to remind the children that it was the 
Odd Fellows’ goat, aroused by the racket they were making 
below, and this never failed to produce the desired quietude 
among the boisterous youngsters of early Jacksonville. The 
Presbyterian chapel, near the southeast corner of Monroe 
and Ocean Streets, was used for school purposes for a long 
time, and also a building that had been a ferry warehouse, 


416 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


at the northwest corner of Bay and Liberty Streets. Con- 
nected with these schools as teachers, are the names Sam 
Doggett and Mrs. Hatch; and in the 1850’s, Mrs. Daniel, Mr. 
and Mrs. DeCottes, Miss Phoebe Swart, and the Misses 
Kendrick, all kept schools for girls, while Mrs. Herbert and 
Mr. Sewell taught both boys and girls. There is also a trace 
of “LaVilla Institute’, founded by J. McRobert Baker, son 
of a Baptist preacher and once mayor of Jacksonville. But 
an “Institute” of the 1850’s was a school furnishing the 
barest rudimentary foundation for an education. The his- 
tory of this school ceased with the beginning of the War Be- 
tween the States.¢ 

Free public instruction (for white children only) had 
been advocated in the Territorial days, but the results 
achieved were discouraging. While not actively opposed to 
it, the people as a rule preferred to pay the moderate quar- 
terly fee and send their children to a private school, and it 
was not until 1860 that an attempt was actually made to es- 
tablish a public school in Jacksonville; this school, however, 
never reached a solid foundation, for the war came on and 
disrupted it.¢ So it may besaid that prior to the War Between 
the States, the system in Jacksonville was private instruc- 
tion exclusively. It does not appear that the curriculum of 
any of these schools was higher than what we now call the 
grammar grades. Those citizens who could afford it sent 
their sons off to college. The girls do not seem to have had 
this advantage to any great extent, and the elementary 
education derived from the local schools served the most of 
them as a foundation for their future experiences in life. 
The usual school term in those days was nine months.?® 


After the War 


In the spring of 1864, a Mrs. J. M. Hawks opened in Jack- 
sonville the first free public school in the State, attended by 
both white and colored children—the effort of a Northern 
society. It opened with an equal number of white and colored 
pupils, but by degrees the colored increased and the whites 
fell off, so that in three months only three white children 
remained.’ 


*At this time, 1864, Jacksonville was occupied by the mili- 
tary forces of the United States and there were no Southern 
white families here. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 417 


After the return of the Southern families to Jacksonville 
at the close of the war, the old system of private instruction 
was gradually revived. In most cases, the people were too 
poor to send their children to pay schools, and they were 
taught at home or by some member of the family, who acted 
as tutor on the principle of community teacher. As the peo- 
ple became better off financially, the pay-school system 
again became established.’ 

The State constitution of 1868 contained a provision for 
a system of public instruction, but provided no revenue for 
maintaining it. A school law was passed in 1869, taking 
care of the deficiency. The general situation in the follow- 
ing few years is described by T. EK. Cochran, in Bulletin No. 
1, History of Public School Education in Florida: 


The State and County superintendents of schools were appointed by 
the executive heads of the State. Consequently, there was a tempta- 
tion to play politics at the expense of the schools, and too often this 
temptation proved irresistible. Men were chosen not on the basis of 
fitness for service, but with reference to party affiliation, thereby work- 
ing disastrous results in respect to the educational welfare of the youth 
of the State. This is especially true from June 8, 1868, until January 
1, 1877, during which time the government of the State was in the hands 
of a political party that was neither elected by, nor in favor with, the 
majority of the intelligent voters and property owners of the State. 
Hence there were a great many who did not cooperate in the educational 
movements. 


It is difficult to determine just what was done in the way 
of public instruction in Jacksonville during the period 1869- 
1875, as school records during this time were either not kept 
at all or were destroyed, and such as are preserved in frag- 
mentary official reports are clearly “colored”. Already taxed 
beyond their power to pay for the operations of the local 
government, the Southern people of Jacksonville were bitter- 
ly opposed to the additional school tax of 3 to 5 mills, espe- 
cially as 80% of the revenue derived from it was devoted to 
negro schools.¢ All that the white people of Jacksonville 
ever got out of this string of taxation for public education, 
was a small, two-story, plain, brick building, erected in 1871, 
on the lot next to the northwest corner of Liberty and Church 
Streets, facing Church. The school was labeled ‘Duval 
Graded and High School’, but the courses of study were ex- 
tremely elementary. This school afterward developed into 


418 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


the Jacksonville Grammar School. The first thorough public 
school in Florida was opened in Jacksonville in the fall of 
1875; from this evolved Duval High School, the history of 
which will be traced separately. | 

Local school affairs passed into the hands of the home 
people in 1877. The greatest difficulty confronting public 
school officials now, was to overcome the pronounced prejudice 
that existed among the people as a result of the system pre- 
vailing under the political influences of the so-called recon- 
struction period. Their first act was to erect a building for 
Duval High School; this they did without the knowledge of 
the general public, and few knew of its erection until it was 
completed. They knew that the public would “kick” anyway ; 
but they decided that it was better for the “‘kick” to come 
afterward.’ What happened is not known, but this was the 
home of Duval High School until it was destroyed by the fire 
of 1901. 

By 1885, public sentiment toward public schools had 
changed somewhat from opposition to lukewarmness. Schools 
for white children had been built in Brooklyn, LaVilla, East 
Jacksonville, and North Jacksonville (Springfield). River- 
side school on Gillmore Street, facing Riverside Park, was 
built in 1891 and occupied in November of that year. As the 
years went by, other school houses were built in the different 
community centers in and around Jacksonville. In nearly 
every case these were plain, wooden buildings. To meet 
growing attendance, wings and extensions were added from 
time to time to many of the schools until some of them, es- 
pecially Springfield (Fifth and Hubbard) and Riverside 
(Riverside Park) became great box-like structures, consti- 
tuting an extremely dangerous fire hazard. That Jackson- 
ville did not experience an appalling school fire in those days 
is certainly an example of genuine good luck. 

Prior to 1914, there were eight brick, or partly brick, 
school houses in Duval County, namely: Duval High, Central 
Grammar, West Riverside No. 12, West Springfield No. 11, 
Fairfield No. 9, Northeast Springfield No. 8, Fifth and Hub- 
bard (brick and frame), Lackawanna No. 10. In most cases, 
however, these schools were but a starting unit for the sub- 
sequent great enlargement. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA A19 


The Modern Expansion 


The decade 1914-1924 stands out as a distinct period in 
the history of public instruction in Duval County, and really 
embraces the complete history of the school work that ad- 
vanced the County’s position to the foremost rank. Three 
causes contributed to it, namely, the exceptional ability of 
the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the position, the 
constructive cooperation of the School Boards, and the in- 
creasing interest of the people in the work of the public 
schools. 

The awakening came in 1914, when the program for the 
modern expansion was drawn up. This led to a favorable 
vote of the people in 1915, for a bond issue of $1,000,000 to 
start the work. Then, one by one, most of the old wooden 
relics gave away to modern buildings, the small, brick units 
then in existence, were reinforced and greatly enlarged, and 
new school buildings erected in growing community centers. 
Two subsequent bond issues, $325,000 August 1, 1919, and 
$1,000,000 April 19, 1922, permitted the continuance of the 
program. There are, in and near the city, 24 schools for 
white children; all are brick and practically fireproof struc- 
tures, fully equipped in a modern way. There are five first- 
class brick schools for colored children in or near the city, 
Stanton school being perhaps the finest negro school in the 
State; these schools are likewise fully equipped. Other 
schools have been built in the outlying settlements of the 
county. 

Ten years ago the visitor to Jacksonville was driven six 
blocks out of the way to keep him from seeing our school 
buildings. Today he is driven ten blocks out of the way in 
order that he may see them. Duval County has a right to 
point with pride to the accomplishments in school develop- 
ment. 

A program for further expansion to include high schools 
for Riverside, Springfield, and South Jacksonville, has been 
prepared by Professor Hathaway and accepted by the School 
Board. 

In 1877, public instruction became an educational rather 
than a political matter; the list of Superintendents of Public 
Instruction for Duval County since that time follows :4 

A. J. Russell, 1877 to February, 1884; W. B. Clarkson 
(temporarily), 1884; W. H. Babcock, 1885 to October, 1888 


420 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


(died in office) ; W. M. Ledwith, 1889 to (about) March, 1891; 
Joel D. Mead, 1891 to 1896; George P. Glen, 1897 to 1904; 
Frank Elzey, January to November, 1905; H. H. Palmer, 
November, 1905 to November, 1907 (died in office) ; James 
Q. Palmer, 1908 to November, 1913; Fons A. Hathaway, 
December, 1913 to 1924, inclusive. 


Duval High School 


In the fall of 1875, a public school, with a curriculum 
considerably higher than had previously been attempted in 
the State, was opened in Jacksonville in a small, two-story, 
wooden building, occupying the inside of the lot at the south- 
west corner of Laura and Monroe Streets, facing the park. 
Prof. M. F. Swaim was the principal and Miss Isabella Tred- 
well and Miss Anna Woods were his assistants. This school 
furnishing courses of study more advanced than any of the 
private schools of the city, many of the Southern residents, 
though greatly prejudiced against the system of public edu- 
cation as carried on at that time, sent their children to it. 
This was the beginning of Duval High School. Two terms 
were held in this building, 1875-6 and 1876-7. The first 
graduating class was that of 1877, and there were three 
graduates, all boys, namely, John C. Cooper, J. Murdoch 
Barrs, and Matthew Mahoney. 

Early in 1877, A. J. Russell, who had just been appointed 
Superintendent of Public Instruction for Duval County, and 
L. I. Fleming, Chairman of the School Board, realizing the 
urgent need for a better High School buiiding, quietly laid 
plans for one at the northwest corner of Liberty and Church 
Streets, next to the Graded School. Work was started in the 
spring and the building was completed in time for the fall 
term of 1877. No notice of its erection had been published 
and the building was completed before the public knew any- 
thing about it./ Duval High School occupied the building in 
the fall of 1877, being the first, and for a number of years, 
the only high school in the State with a building and faculty 
its own. It was a small, two-story, brick school, providing 
two recitation rooms on the first floor, with one large room - 
above, reached by covered stairways from the outside. This, 
with subsequent additions, was the home of Duval High 
School for nearly a quarter of a century. The first change 
was the partitioning off of the upper room to provide addi- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 421 


tional recitation rooms; then a small, two-story, brick wing 
was added to the west side, and finally a one-story, frame 
addition of considerable size, was erected in the rear for use 
as a study hall. Two-story, brick wings had likewise been 
added to the Grammar school nearby. There was no archi- 
tectural beauty about these buildings. The conflagration of 
May 38, 1901, swept the entire nest away and closed the spring 
term for that year for Duval High School.¢ 

LaVilla Grammar school was the home of Duval High be- 
ginning with the fall term of 1901, until Central Grammar 
school, at Liberty and Church Streets, was completed in No- 
vember, 1902, where it was assigned five rooms on the second 
floor. The arrangement was inadequate and unsatisfactory 
from the first and decided complaint arose about it. School 
funds at this time were at a low ebb, and the erection of a 
separate building for Duval High was delayed, as it was 
thought inadvisable to float a bond issue or increase the 
millage of taxation for the purpose, in view of the heavy 
losses sustained by the people in the conflagration of 1901. 
Nevertheless, D. H. S. Alumni Association became active in 
the matter and prepared a program to raise funds by its own 
efforts for the erection of a suitable High School building, and 
it was largely through the efforts of the Association, in keep- 
ing the matter alive, that the central unit of the present 
Duval High School on Ocean Street was built.¢ 

After two years of planning, the contract was awarded 
by the School Board December 26, 1906, to J. A. McDonald, 
for the erection of a brick and stone High School building on 
the east side of Ocean Street between Beaver and Ashley, 
for $64,770, completely equipped. Work was begun in Janu- 
ary, and on April 4, 1907, the corner-stone was laid with 
Masonic ceremonies, in the presence of school officials, facul- 
ty and pupils of Duval High School, and a large concourse of 
interested spectators. Sealed in the corner-stone as memen- 
toes were: 


Program of the ceremonies; constitution and roster of D. H. S. 
Alumni Association; roster of Board of Education; rosters and photo- 
graphs of D. H. S. faculty and senior, junior, sophomore and freshman 
classes in 1907; photograph of High-Grammar School building at Liber- 
ty and Church Streets; Masonic rosters; No. 1 of Vol. 1, Oracle of 
March, 1907 (first issue); current issues of local newspapers. 


422 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Contractor McDonald gave up the job when the building 
was about two-thirds completed, and it was completed under 
the supervision of the School Board in time for the opening 
of the fall term of 1908. The dimensions are 1238x82 feet. 
The basement is constructed of Indiana limestone and the 
walls of light, pressed brick, with heavy stone trimmings. As 
designed, the gymnasium grading, manual training and do- 
mestic science departments; boiler and ventilation rooms, and 
two shower baths, were in the basement. Eight class rooms 
were provided for the first floor, together with the library, 
office, reception and cloak rooms. On the second floor were 
chemical and physical laboratories, three class rooms, high 
school and reception rooms. The third story was the audi- 
torium, 78x70 feet, with stage and dressing rooms. Such 
was the original plan of the central unit of Duval High 
School. The arrangement has since been changed somewhat, 
and two annexes have been built to meet growing attendance. 
The north (Beaver Street) annex was completed in January, 
1920, and the south (Ashley Street) annex in February, 
1922.4 

Duval High School started in 1875 with a two-year 
course. It was changed to three years in 1877, and to four 
years in the fall of 1886. In 1923, the school system of 8-4 
was changed to the 6-3-3, but it did not become operative 
until March 3, 1924, when the Junior High schools, John 
Gorrie (Riverside) and Kirby Smith (Springfield) were 
opened. John Gorrie was named for the inventor of arti- 
ficial ice, whose home was Apalachicola, and Kirby Smith for 
the famous Confederate general, E. Kirby Smith of St. Au- 
gustine; both buildings are precisely alike and their plants 
are the last word in school equipment.*¢ 

Principals of Duval High School: M. F. Swaim, 1875-77; 
E. J. Hyde, 1877 until his death soon after the opening of the 
fall term of 1880; W. B. Clarkson, December, 1880 to Janu- 
ary, 1884; W. C. Thayer, February, 1884 to 1886; Frederick 
Pasco, 1886 to February, 1897; W. T. Chapin, February, 
1897 to 1898; W. E. Knibloe, 1898 to 1909; F. A. Hathaway, 
1909 to December, 1913. R. B. Rutherford, December, 1913 
to date. 

Principal, Kirby Smith Junior High School, G. F. Sisson, 
March, 1924 to date. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 423 


Principal, John Gorrie Junior High School, J. S. Wheat- 
ley, March, 1924 to date. 


Bibliography, Chapter XXIII 
aLocal newspapers of the time; DMrs. W. M. Bostwick, old resident; cPublished 
reminiscence of old citizen; dHistory of Public School Education in Florida, Bul. 1, T. 
"E. Cochran; eFlorida Gazetteer, J. M. Hawks, 1870; fLife and Labors of A. J. Russell, 
1897 ; hCollected from various published sources. 


FLAG OF JACKSONVILLE 





Field white. In the upper left quarter is shown a gateway, from which 
diagonally across the field is projected a green pennon bearing in white 
letters the word “Jacksonville.” In the center rising above the pennon 
is a brilliant red poinsettia with green foliage. In the lower left quarter 
the seal of Jacksonville is shown. The flag was designed by G. D. 
Ackerly and was adopted by the Council as the City’s official flag Jan- 
uary 15, 1914. ) 


The design denotes, “Jacksonville, the Gateway to Florida.” 


424 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XXIV 


PIONEER ORGANIZATIONS 
St. Luke’s Hospital, 1873 


In the autumn of 1872, an invalid fleeing from the rigors 
of northern winter arrived at the depot in this city. He took 
an omnibus and went from hotel to hotel and from house to 
house, only to find that they were all too full to accommodate 
him. After hours of fruitless search the sick and wearied 
traveler did indeed find rest—in this city, on our streets, his 
spirit fled from Time to Eternity. A short while after this 
another invalid made weary by many hours of travel finally 
arrived and he, too, died without the ministrations of human 
hands. When these circumstances became known they deeply 
excited the sympathy of the community and offered a few 
noble women the opportunity of which they availed them- 
selves in the institution of the charity that is now called St. 
Luke’s Hospital. 

The noble women referred to were Mrs. Theodore Hart- 
ridge, Mrs. Aristides Doggett and Mrs. J. D. Mitchell. They 
banded themselves together as the Ladies’ Benevolent Society 
for the purpose of finding places that would accommodate 
the sick and destitute strangers that came to the city; but 
in a few weeks the demand became so great that it was de- 
cided to establish a hospital. In February, 1873, the society 
held a fair from which sufficient funds were raised to rent 
two rooms; these were opened March 11, 1873, and named 
St. Luke’s. 

The Jacksonville Tri-weekly Union of an October 
21, 1873, published this note: 


St. Luke’s 


Pursuant to announcement previously made a number of ladies 
met at Odd Fellows’ hall on last Thursday (Oct. 16, 1873) for the pur- 
pose of organizing a society to arrange for the holding of a fair some- 
time during the coming winter, the proceeds of which to be applied to 
the building of a hospital. The meeting having been duly organized, 
the following action was taken upon the formation of the society: 

Presidents, Mrs. Hartridge and Mrs. Magruder; vice-presidents, 
Mrs. Burns, Mrs. Doggett, Mrs. Peck, Mrs. Mitchell, Mrs. Greeley; sec- 
retary and treasurer, Miss Freeland. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 425 


This was the organization of St. Luke’s Hospital Associa- 
tion. The charity met with universal favor, both among the 
residents of Jacksonville and the tourists that came here for 
the winter. By successive fairs and generous contributions 
the association obtained enough money to buy a lot at the 
northeast corner of Market and Ashley Streets as a site for 
a hospital building ; then the building fund was started. The 
association had $687 in the Freedmen’s bank, which failed in 
June, 1874, but the lady managers with renewed effort went 
ahead and by spring of 1876 had accumulated sufficient funds 
to build the hospital. Just as the building neared completion 
and before it was occupied, fire, said to have been of incen- 
diary origin, destroyed it at 3 a. m. July 22, 1876. 

After the fire a change of location for the hospital was 
decided upon. There was $6,000 insurance on the building 
burned and this with $800 derived from the sale of the lot 
enabled the association to start the work of rebuilding. The 
two lots in East Jacksonville near Hogans Creek (on the west 
side of Palmetto Street running through from Monroe to 
Duval) were purchased for $800. Within a year the con- 
struction of a brick hospital building was begun. The yellow 
fever epidemic of 1877 interrupted the building operations, 
but it served to impress upon the people the need of a hos- 
pital here. The new St. Luke’s was dedicated February 24, 
1878, by Judge Thomas Settle; it was completed at a total 
cost of $6,350, and opened to the public in December, 1878. 
So after five years of constant effort and hampered by a 
number of serious setbacks, St. Luke’s became a firmly estab- 
lished institution of Jacksonville. The association was reor- 
ganized in 1882, at which time it adopted its first constitu- 
tion; its first charter was granted June 10, 1885. In April, 
1887, a wing was added to the main building in order to meet 
the growing needs of the institution. On January 12, 1900, 
a children’s ward was opened in a small building in the hos- 
pital yard, by an organization of little girls known as the 
“Little Jewels’’. 

Organized as a non-sectarian, non-sectional charity, St. 
Luke’s was operated and maintained exclusively by popular 
subscription until 1908, when the City Council authorized 
an annual appropriation of $5,000 to help with its support. 
On August 4, 1908, the City Council by ordinance donated in 
fee simple without restrictions to St. Luke’s Hospital Asso- 


N 
NoitArd MOLL OS! aii 


Ca VA a clei O88 


fF SNC HKBOD Berure~ wo? 









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WOUMIAYA ELVAING TINEA S, 
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eA an 
Block plan of St. Luke’s Hospital and proposed extension. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 427 


ciation about 814 acres of land between Eighth and Tenth 
Streets west of Springfield boulevard. After the complaint 
that arose from property owners of that section was finally 
settled, the association started the preliminaries necessary 
for the erection of a modern hospital capable of supplying 
the needs of the growing city, which the old establishment in 
East Jacksonville had for years been unable to do. Up to 
this time the association had been composed entirely of 
women, but now that the work had become so great they 
felt that the men of the community should share it; this was 
in 1909. In February, 1911, the association put on a stupen- 
dous drive for funds for building a new plant in Springfield 
and $225,000 was subscribed. 

On July 1, 1911, the association was granted a new charter 
to meet the requirements necessary in the erection of the 
new St. Luke’s. Plans were drawn for a modern hospital of 
the pavilion type with connecting corridors, comprising as a 
whole 12 units. Ground was broken for the first block of 
eight units in July, 1912, and on January 26, 1914, the 
patients were removed from the old hospital in East Jackson- 
ville to the new one in Springfield. The eight units completed 
in 1914 were the administration and service buildings, public 
and private pavilions, nurses’ home, power house, white iso- 
lation and colored isolation pavilions. The completion of 
these units represented an outlay of $221,637, including 
equipment. 

In October, 1923, a campaign was put on for funds for 
the erection of additional units and $52,000 was subscribed. 
Work on the children-maternity unit to cost $35,000 is about 
to begin, the remaining amount to be used for equipment. 

Ever since that winter more than half a century ago, 
when one of the sick strangers died in a hack on the street 
and the other on the steps of one of our churches, St. Luke’s 
has been a by-word with the people of Jacksonville. Two of 
its founders—its real originators—were ladies of the Old 
South who arose above the bitter feeling of the time and in 
the spirit of true Christian charity laid the foundation for 
this time-honored institution. Four generations of patients 
in every state of life and society and from all sections of the 
country have been cared for within its walls. 

Presidents of St. Luke’s Hospital Association: Prior to 
1882 the Association was directed by its three founders who 


428 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


signed reports as ‘“‘Directoresses” invariably in the order, 
Mrs. Susan A. Hartridge, Mrs. A. Doggett, Mrs. J. D. Mitchell. 
Upon the adoption of a constitution in 1882, Mrs. Alexander 
Mitchell was asked to become president; Mrs. Mitchell served 
from 1882 to February, 1899, and was succeeded by Mrs. D. 
G. Ambler. Mrs. Ambler was active president about a year, 
when upon her removal from the city she became honorary 
president and Mrs. J. H. Durkee active president. Mrs. 
Durkee was elected president in April, 1902, and served until} 
1910, since which time the following gentlemen have served 
as presidents: A. W. Cockrell, Jr., 1910-16; E. M. L’Engle, 
1916-19; J. H. McKinnon, 1919-20; Jay H. Durkee, 1920-21; 
J. H. McKinnon, 1921-28; E. M. L’Engle, 1923-24; H. P. 
Osborne, 1924—. 


Free Public Library, 1878 


In the fall of 1877, two young ladies of Jacksonville, Miss 
Florence Murphy and Miss May Moore, originated the plan 
of starting a free public library and reading room in this city. 
Soon many prominent residents, both ladies and gentlemen, 
became identified with the movement, with the result that 
the Jacksonville Library and Literary Association was 
formed, officered as follows: Miss Florence Murphy, presi- 
dent; Mrs. Aristides Doggett, vice-president; Miss May 
Moore, secretary; Miss Lizzie Clark, treasurer. The first 
regular meeting of the association was held January 22, 1878. 

In order to provide funds for equipping and opening a » 
reading room the association gave a number of entertain- 
ments, moonlight excursions, amateur concerts, lectures and 
plays. Among the last were “Pinafore’’, ‘Chimes of Nor- 
mandy”, “‘Pirates of Penzance” and “‘Sorcerer”. These plays 
were the most popular social events of the time in Jackson- 
ville. ‘Pinafore’? made an especial “hit”, being repeated 
several times and was long afterward referred to as the best 
local play of the decade. The cast in “Pinafore” was: Frank 
Ely—Sir Joseph Porter; Miss Lola Ochus—Josephine; Geo. 
M. Parker—Captain Corcoran; Miss Ida Griffin—Little But- 
tercup; J. C. Marcy, Jr.—Ralph; A. B. Campbell—Dick 
Deadeye. 

Sufficient funds were netted from these entertainments 
to rent a room in the Astor building, southeast corner of Bay 
and Hogan, where in the winter of 1878-9 the first free public 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 429 


reading room in Jacksonville was opened. Books, papers and 
periodicals were provided by purchase and donation and 
though the assortment was not extensive the class was the 
best. The room was cared for by members of the association 
the first winter, but in the following winter, 1879-80, a reg- 
ular librarian was appointed at a small salary; James Doug- | 
lass was the first regular librarian of the public library. 
After the establishment of the reading room on a firm basis 
the social and literary features of the association were grad- 
ually dropped and interest in the work then began to wane. 

Taken at random from the secretary’s minutes these 
names, besides those already mentioned, appear consistently 
in the roll of “present” at the meetings of the association 
during its formation and early growth: Rev. W. H. Dodge, 
Rev. Frederick Pasco, Mrs. J. D. Mitchell, Misses Elizabeth, 
Alice and May Long, Miss Belle Abell, Miss Eva Murphy, 
Miss Sue Patti Hartridge, R. H. Weller, Jr., H. H. Buckman, 
R. M. Call, Dr. H. R. Stout, B. H. Barnett, W. H. Ashmead, 
A. Doggett, Judge and Mrs. E. M. Randall, Miss Sue L’Engle, 
Julius Drew, Miss Lula Tucker, Mrs. F. A. Love, Miss Emma 
Hudnall, Miss Emmie Bours, Miss Lillie Hartridge, Dr. W. 
L. Baldwin, Misses Broward, and many others. 

In 1883 the association was reorganized as the Jackson- 
ville Library Association with J. Q. Burbridge, a generous 
patron of the library, as its president. The objects of the 
new association as stated were: “To provide a public library 
and free reading rooms, with museum and art departments”. 
Membership fees at this time were: Life, $25; ten years, $15; 
annual, $2. James Meegan was the librarian. In 1883 the 
Association, through the generosity of the citizens of Jack- 
sonville, was enabled to lease a lot at the southeast corner 
of Laura and Adams Streets and erect there a neat one-story 
frame building having a steep roof and a small entrance porch 
in front facing Adams Street; the building was completed 
early in 1884. The Association was incorporated in May, 1885. 

The library building in time came to be the community 
house for Jacksonville, where social meetings of all kinds 
were held, while on Sundays many denominations from time 
to time used it for their religious services. This was the 
home of the library for exactly ten years, and in that period 
the librarians were, following James Meegan: Mrs. James 
Meegan, Columbus Drew, and C. H. Smith. 


430 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


In the summer of 1892, the Library Association, the Board 
of Trade, and the Elks Club entered into an agreement to 
combine in the erection of a suitable building adequate for 
the needs of the three organizations and on December 24, 
1892, they were incorporated as the Union Building Asso- 
ciation. In the arrangement the Library Association was to 
sell its interest in the property at Adams and Laura Streets 
and purchase the site for the new building called the ‘‘Union” 
building. This they did, buying the half lot at the northeast 
corner of Adams and Main Streets. Here the Union building 
was built at a cost of $17,000; it was completed and occupied 
in the winter of 1894-5. As is usually the case in combina- 
tions of this kind it soon developed that the arrangement was 
not a satisfactory one. The secretary of the Board of Trade 
assumed the duties of librarian of the Public Library and the 
latter seemed to lose its separate identity to a certain extent. 
The widespread interest in the library while it owned its own 
building and had its own librarian had waned decidedly by 
1901, when the fire of May 3d brought the history of the old 
institution to a close. 

In less than a year after the fire steps were taken to pro- 
cure a donation from the Andrew Carnegie fund for the pur- 
pose of building a library here. In February, 1902, Mr. Car- 
negie notified the local association that he would give $50,000 
for a building if the city would provide a site and appropriate 
not less than $5,000 annually for the support of the library. 
Upon receipt of this offer, the library association held a 
meeting and unanimously advocated the acceptance of the 
offer, and agreed to buy the site for the building and give it 
to the city, if the city would meet the appropriation for main- 
tenance. This offer was made to the city council and a special 
city primary was called for the public to express its desires 
in the matter; the primary was held November 4, 1902, and 
resulted 640 for and 625 against acceptance. The council 
then passed the resolution, accepting Mr. Carnegie’s offer, 
all voting for it excepting one councilman. Fulfilling its 
promise, the Library Association sold its interest in the lot at 
corner of Main and Adams Streets and together with the in- 
surance money collected from the fire bought the lot 80x85 
feet at the northeast corner of Ocean and Adams Streets and 
donated it to the city as a site for the library. On January 6, 
1903, the council created a Public Library Board composed 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 431 


of EK. J. L’Engle, C. D. Rinehart, C. E. Garner, J. R. Parrott, 
W. W. Cummer, D. U. Fletcher, A. F, Perry, C. Drew, J. W. 
Archibald. These were the first Library Trustees. 

The contract for the library building was awarded to 
Owens Contracting Company for $44,897, and on October 3, 
1908, ground was broken for it. The library was opened to 
the public June 1, 1905. The balance remaining from the 
building fund was used in improvements and shelving. The 
building is practically fireproof, the only woodwork being the 
flooring, sash and doors. Most of the shelving is steel. The 
style of the building is Greek Ionic, similar to all Carnegie 
libraries. Its official name is Jacksonville Free Public Li- 
brary. 

George B. Utley, an experienced librarian of Baltimore, 
was appointed librarian of the new library here; he and Miss 
Elizabeth V. Long were the first officers and they prepared 
the library for its opening in 1905, at which time there were 
6,600 volumes on the shelves and 50 periodicals on the sub- 
scription list. The first year or two the city failed to meet 
its appropriation in full and considerable embarrassment 
resulted, but public-spirited citizens came to the rescue by 
providing enough funds to tide it over. Secondary only to 
the schools in the work of education, the library stands today 
a monument to the citizens of Jacksonville who gave their 
time and money for the perpetuation of this valuable insti- 
tution. 

In December, 1924, the library’s subscription list com- 
prised 20 prominent newspapers and 254 periodicals and it 
had 69,940 bound volumes on its shelves. The total number 
of active borrowers holding cards was 18,881. A statement 
of the number of visitors to the library during the year would 
be only an estimate, for many thousands use it for reading 
and reference without taking cards. It is the same with the 
children’s room; more than 5,000 active borrowers are re- 
corded, but this represents but a small fraction of the young 
people that the library assists every year and especially dur- 
ing school terms. 

Librarians of the Jacksonville Free Public Library: 
George B. Utley to February, 1911; Joseph L. Wheeler, March 
1911, to October, 1912; Lloyd W. Josselyn, November, 1912, 
to December, 1919; Joseph F. Marron, January, 1920, to date. 


432 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Chamber of Commerce, 1884 


There is a record of a Board of Trade in Jacksonville in 
1856; it was an advertisement published that year, setting 
forth the advantages of Jacksonville as a place of residence. 
Dr. Theodore Hartridge was president of the organization 
and probably it was kept up until the beginning of the War 
Between the States. In 1866, an effort was made to revive 
the Board of Trade, and there are traces of it as late as 1872. 


The present Chamber of Commerce dates back to January 
31, 1884, when a meeting was held in the office of J. Q. Bur- 
bridge for the purpose of forming a permanent Board of 
Trade in Jacksonville. Mr. Burbridge presided and Henry 
S. Ely acted as secretary. Twenty business men attended 
that meeting, and after a general discussion of the necessity 
for such an organization a resolution was adopted declaring 
“the interests of Jacksonville demand the organization of a 
Board of Trade’. Ata meeting February 7, 1884, a consti- 
tution was reported and adopted. On February 18, 1884, 
ex-Governor George I’. Drew was chosen president, and J. Q. 
Burbridge, J. K. Hart, J. M. Schumacher and M. A. Dzialynski 
were elected governors. These were the first officers. Forty 
names represented the first enrollment. The first secretary, 
J. P. Varnum, was appointed March 15, 1884. There were 
some defects in the original constitution and a new one was 
adopted May 14th and the by-laws May 21, 1884. The Board 
of Trade was incorporated July 8, 1893. The charter was 
greatly amended May 16, 1913, to meet the growing needs 
of the organization. The name was changed to Chamber of 
Commerce January 6, 1915, and it was incorporated under 
that name March 24, 1915. On October 25, 1921, a new con- 
stitution and new by-laws were adopted. 

The record of the Chamber of Commerce since the organ- 
ization in 1884, is a constructive history of many pages in 
itself. It was successful in its first year in securing an im- 
provement in the rail and mail facilities for Jacksonville; and 
started the agitation for a Federal building; it immediately 
took up the fight for bar and harbor improvement, an activity 
that was never afterward allowed towane. It was in allof the 
skirmishes and battles on the side of progress for Jackson- 
ville when the place was developing from the town class into 
that of city. It advocated without exception the measures 
for local advancement in those days and originated many of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 433 


them. Usually its efforts were successful, though often not 
until after a long and hard struggle. 

Years ago some statistical genius sat down before an 
array of figures which he added, multiplied, subtracted and 
divided and then drew a line on the map across the South. 
He called it the southern limit of profitable manufacturing 
enterprise. Waterpower, yellow fever epidemics and various 
other things were incorporated in the theorem. In the direc- 
tion of Jacksonviile this theoretical line dipped to Augusta, 
Ga., and to a certain extent there did grow up in the North 
an idea that big business enterprises would not be profitable 
in the far South as a year-round proposition, with the result 
that Northern capitalists were timid about investments here. 
In the years before the fire of 1901, the efforts of the Board 
of Trade hit this theoretical line and hammered it hard; since 
then its activities have swept it from the map. 

Perhaps the greatest achievement of the organization in 
a specific line was the part it played in river and harbor work 
for Jacksonville. From the very beginning its full power 
was constantly exerted for river and harbor appropriations. 
it was the father of the county bond issue of 1891 for deep- 
ening the channel at Dame’s Point so that the full benefit of 
the government work at the mouth of the river might be 
available for this city. It carried the agitation for deeper, 
and still deeper water for Jacksonville to a successful end. 
It originated the idea for municipal docks and advanced the 
money, $8,300, for a special session of the Florida Legislature 
in 1912 to authorize a bond issue for their construction. 

As to its other activities its committees are designed to 
cover all the phases of industriai activity. Welded together 
in one body the Chamber of Commerce is a powerful factor in 
the advancement of Jacksonville as well as the State of Flor- 
ida. It is generaliy considered one of the most progressive 
organizations in the country. In 1924 a membership cam- 
paign was inaugurated which resulted in increasing the 
active membership to 3,100. 

For the first ten years the Board of Trade had no per- 
manent home, holding its meetings in rented halls in the 
business section. in 1894, what was known as the “Union 
Building” was built at the northeast corner of Main and 
Adams Streets for the joint occupancy of the Board of Trade, 
Library Association, and Elks’ Club. The arrangement did 


434 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


not prove satisfactory and the Elks’ Club sold its interest and 
moved to another location. The Union Building was destroyed 
in the fire of May 3, 1901. After the fire the Board of Trade 
bought the interest of the Library Association in the prop- 
erty, which at that time comprised only the half lot, and 
acquired by purchase the other half of the lot, issued bonds 
and erected the present building. This building was occupied 
May 18, 1904. 

Presidents: Geo. F. Drew, 1884-5; J. J. Daniel, 1886-7; 
J. E. Hart, 1888-9; J. N. C. Stockton, 1890; J. S. Fairhead, 
1891-2; A. B. Campbell, 1893-4; A. S. Baldwin, 1895; R. B. 
Archibald, 1896; J. G. Christopher, 1897; J. S. Fairhead, 
1898; C. E. Garner, 1899 to 1907; W. A. Bours, 1908-9; F. P. 
Conroy, 1910-11; G. L. Drew, 1912-13 (resigned) ; H.B. Race, 
1913; C. H. Mann, 1914-15; F. C. Groover, 1916-17; J. D. 
Baker, 1918; A. W. Cockrell, Jr., 1919-20; H. P. Adair, 1921-2 
(resigned) ; C. H. Mann, 1922; G. H. Baldwin, 1923 to date. 

Managers: A. V. Snell, October 1921, to date. 

Secretaries: J. P. Varnum, 1884-85; J. M. Fairlie, 1885-88 
died of yellow fever) ; C. H. Smith, 1889-95; T. H. Livingston, 
1896-97; C. H. Smith, 1897-1908; H. H. Richardson, 1908- 
1913; W. N. Conoley, 1913-15 (died in office) ; H.S. Kealhofer, 
1915; G. E. Leonard, 1915-16; B. R. Kessler, 1916-21; A. J. 
Stowe, 1921 to date. 

The Junior Chamber of Commerce was organized Jan- 
uary 6, 1922, with W. E. Arnold as president. It is composed 
of the younger business men of the city and is closely affili- 
ated with the parent organization. 


Daniel Memorial Orphanage, 1884 


The first steps for the benefit of the orphan children of 
the city were taken late in 1883, at an entertainment given 
at the home of Mrs. A. L. Hungerford by the young people 
of the Sunday school of the Congregational Church, at which, 
partly from the proceeds and partly from private subscrip- 
tion, the sum of $60 was raised. The movement was not 
allowed to retrograde and on March 28, 1884, a number of 
ladies met and organized an association as a non-sectarian 
charity with the object “To receive into a suitable home, 
orphans and friendless persons, and by the help of Divine 
Providence, to support and provide for all who shall come 
under the provisions of the constitution, as far as our means 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 435 


and facilities will enable us’. The name “Orphanage and 
Home for the Friendless” was adopted. The officers elected 
at this meeting were: Mrs. O. L. Keene, president; Mrs. 
Susan A. Hartridge and Mrs. A. L. Hungerford, vice-presi- 
dents; Mrs. W. B. Watson, secretary ; Mrs. M. C. Washington, 
treasurer, together with a board of directors composed of 
nine members. 

The ladies held regular meetings every month. Before 
the end of the year they had accumulated enough money to 
rent a small cottage of two rooms and kitchen at the corner 
of Liberty and Ashley Streets; articles were liberally given 
to furnish this little home. It opened January 8, 1885, and 
was maintained until April 17, 1885, when the cottage was 
given up and the furniture stored, as suitable arrangements 
had been made for each of the friendless ones (five children 
and several adults) cared for during that time. However it 
was decided to reserve all donations and moneys received by 
the association for use as a building fund. Within a year the 
fund grew to $1,000 and the movement for a permanent home 
was started under the association’s first incorporation of 
February 23, 1886. Messrs. Campbell and Griffin generously 
donated two lots in Campbell’s Addition at the corner of 
Evergreen Avenue and Center (Third) Street as a site; here 
a neat, well-built two-story frame building was erected, com- 
prising three rooms on each floor, but no kitchen and dining 
room. With the generous aid of lumbermen the home was 
built at a cost of $1,250. It was dedicated March 29, 1887, 
Rev. S. K. Leavett (Baptist) presiding at the ceremonies, 
assisted by local pastors of other denominations. At the 
exercises the treasurer’s report was read and showed a deficit 
of $145; the amount to clear it off was raised on the spot. An 
addition to the original building of five rooms and bath was 
built later. 

In the spring of 1889, the mayor of New York City, Mr. 
Hewett, notified the Jacksonville Auxiliary Sanitary Associ- 
ation that he still had on hand $8,929 contributed to Jackson- 
ville’s yellow fever relief fund and wished to know what dis- 
position to make of it. The Relief Association replied that 
there were sufficient funds in hand here. Mayor Hewett then 
suggested that the amount held by him be returned to the 
party who had made the largest individual contribution, 
$12,000, when Jacksonville called for outside help during the 
epidemic. In reply the Relief Association wrote Mayor 


436 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Hewett that a memorial association had been formed here 
in honor of Col. J. J. Daniel, who had lost his life in the yellow 
fever epidemic; that the estate of Colonel Daniel owned prop- 
erty against which there was an equity; that this equity 
could be purchased; that the funds held by Mr. Hewett would 
help materially in purchasing it; and that if so purchased 
the property would be transformed into an orphans’ home. 
Mr. Hewett conferred with the $12,000 donor, whose identity 
was unknown in Jacksonville (and remains unknown to this 
day), and notified the association here that that gentleman 
volunteered if the association would raise by popular sub- 
scription $10,000 of the $25,000 required to purchase the 
equity, he would add enough from his own purse to the funds 
held by Mr. Hewett to supply the balance. The necessary 
$10,000 was raised and on May 26, 1890, the association re- 
ceived a check from the Commercial Bank of New York for 
$15,000. The home was purchased and the deeds recorded 
June 3, 1890. The property comprised 70 acres on the St. 
Johns River (where Cummer’s mill is now) and included a 
large two-story house surrounded by a nice orange grove 
recovering from the freeze of 1886. 

The Daniel Memorial Association now began to negotiate 
with the Orphanage and Home for the Friendless Association 
with a view of combining the two and transferring the insti- 
tution to the old Daniel place on the St. Johns, thus firmly 
establishing the charity. The two associations finally reached 
an agreement and on March 28, 1891, they consolidated under 
the name “Daniel Memorial Orphanage and Home for the 
Friendless” and were so incorporated on September 20, 1893. 

The orphanage was not moved to the Daniel home on the 
river on account of being too far in the country and too 
inaccessible at that time, though it was occasionally used for 
outing purposes for the children. It was finally decided to 
sell the property and invest the proceeds as an endowment. 
The sale was accomplished in December, 1896, to the Cummer 
Lumber Company. 

The orphanage at Evergreen (Ionia) and Center (Third) 
Streets became inadequate and the opportunity arising for 
the purchase of a more suitable location the Orphanage Asso- 
ciation purchased three lots at the northwest corner of Hub- 
bard and Seventh Streets in April, 1905. There was already 
a small building on this property which could be utilized as 
a dining room in connection with the plans to build a home 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 437 


costing $10,000. The plans were successfully carried out and 
the orphanage was moved to its Hubbard Street location in 
November, 1905. The property on Ionia Street was sold, the 
purchaser cutting the building in half and making two dwell- 
ings out of it. 

Presidents of the Orphanage Association: Mrs. O. L. 
Keene, 1884-5; Mrs. Susan A. Hartridge, 1885-1910 (died in 
office) ; Mrs. J. C. L’Engle, 1910-1914; then in sequence, Mrs. 
M. H. Haughton, Mrs. E. C. Munoz, Mrs. W. E. Cummer; Mrs. 
Fleming Bowden; Mrs. 8. B. Hubbard. 


Woman’s Club of Jacksonville, 1897 


After preliminary work of several months, about thirty 
ladies met in the parlors of the Windsor Hotel on January 
20, 1897, for the purpose of organizing a woman’s club in 
_ Jacksonville. On February 9, 1897, a permanent organiza- 
tion was perfected. During the first year the membership 
increased to ninety-one. The club was incorporated February 
20, 1898; on May 20, 1910, the charter was amended to meet 
the enlargement of the club’s activities to include literary, 
social, scientific, and philanthropic work and the improve- 
ment, benefit, and advancement of womankind in the direc- 
tions named, and generally to give aid to all worthy objects. 

A building lot was purchased in February, 1902, on the 
south side of East Duval Street, near Main, and two years 
later the club house was completed, and occupied February 8, 
1904. It is numbered 18 E. Duval Street. From time to time 
interior decorations have been added, and while the building 
is complete in its appointments and clear of debt, the growth 
of the club membership has created the necessity for a larger 
building. 

From the beginning, the Woman’s Club of Jacksonville 
reached out for the welfare of the child. In April, 1900, it 
raised nearly $1,000 by its own exertions and gave it to the 
local Board of Education for the purpose of keeping the 
schools from closing on accountof lack of funds. It originated 
the movement for public playgrounds when, on April 22, 1907, 
it sent a petition to the Board of Public Works asking that 
playgrounds be provided in the parks for children; and later 
was instrumental in bringing representatives of the Play- 
ground Association of America here for a campaign, from 
which developed the system of today. The club has kept in 


438 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


close touch with the schools and has often made substantial | 
contributions, both financial and active, to the inauguration 
or perfection of some needed advance, such as the employ- 
ment of teachers of physical culture and music; fire drills; 
and in matters pertaining to the cleaning and repairing of 
school houses—duties now performed in large measure by the 
Mothers’ Clubs, which themselves originated through the ef- 
forts of the Woman’s Club. The Woman’s Club at first gave a 
scholarship to the Southern Educational Association. This 
was afterward changed to a four years’ scholarship for a 
graduate of Duval High School to Women’s College at Talla- 
hassee. The Club now gives two full-course scholarships to 
Tallahassee, and a six weeks’ course to girls of rural schools. 

It has consistently worked hand-in-hand with local char- 
ities. It launched the Associated Charities upon its career 
December 8, 1909, and was a regular contributor to its main- 
tenance. One of its committees is in charge of rest rooms at 
railroad stations, while another activity is the renewing of 
traveling libraries. The Club holds out a helping hand to 
the working girl; it sent a petition to the merchants asking 
that seats be provided for the girls in their employ and the 
petition was granted; it cooperated in securing the summer 
half-holidays, and it advocated the early Christmas shopping 
idea. 

In health work the Woman’s Club has been an important 
factor ; it established the visiting nurses charity and set aside 
a fund for the support of the work; it helped in bringing to 
Jacksonville in February, 1909, the exhibition of the National 
Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis; 
and its committee on Public Health works in close touch with 
the City Board of Health in all matters pertaining to the 
public health. 

Presidents of the Woman’s Club: Mrs. J. S. Fairhead, 
1897-99; Mrs. R. M. Pollard, 1899-01; Mrs. J. H. Durkee, 
1901-02; Mrs. W. W. Cummer, 1902-04; Mrs. D. U. Fletcher, 
1904-06; Mrs. A. G. Cummer, 1906-08; Mrs. Beulah M. War- 
ner, 1908 (resigned) ; Mrs. G. R. Pride, 1908-09; Mrs. W. P. 
Corbett, 1909-11; Mrs. W. B. Young, 1911-13; Miss Louise 
C. Meigs, 1913-15; Mrs. F. E. Jennings, 1915-17; Mrs. F. P. 
L’Engle, 1917-18; Mrs. N. B. Broward, 1918-20; Mrs. Beulah 
M. Warner, 1920-22; Mrs. Matilda O’Donald, 1922-4; Mrs. 
M. M. Lander, 1924-. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 439 


Charter History of Some of the Others 


(Alphabetically) 


Tirst in their respective fields in J acksonville, many of them paved 
the way for similar organizations throughout the State. 


American Legion, Edward C. DeSaussure Post No. 9.—On 
May 21, 1919, a number of ex-service men held a meeting for 
the purpose of organizing an American Legion post in Jack- 
sonville. A temporary charter was signed by 164 members 
June 8, 1919. A permanent charter was issued from National 
Headquarters at Indianapolis August 2, 1923, and signed by 
the Department of Florida on the 16th of that month. W. D. 
Vinzant was the first Post Commander. The Home at No. 
221 West Church Street was occupied November 5, 1923; it 
was dedicated November 12, 19238, by Admiral W. S. Sims, 
U.S. N. The Post is named for a Jacksonville young man 
who was killed at Sommerance, France, in the Argonne 
Forest drive. 


American Red Cross, Jacksonville Chapter.—The Jack- 
sonville branch was organized March 20, 1914, with a mem- 
bership of 54. The first officers were: W. KE. Cummer, chair- 
man; Miss Louise C. Meigs and L. G. Haskell, vice-chairmen ; 
R. T. Solensten, secretary ; G. R. DeSaussure, treasurer. The 
first practical work of the chapter was in connection with the 
Confederate reunion in Jacksonville in May, 1914. 


Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Jacksonville 
Lodge No. 221.—The Lodge was installed December 12, 1891, 
with 182 charter members, the largest initial membership of 
any Lodge in the country up to that time. A delegation from 
the Savannah Lodge conducted the ceremonies. John E. 
Hartridge was the first Exalted Ruler. The first club rooms 
were in what was then known as the Mohawk Block, south- 
west corner of Bay and Market Streets. This was the first 
and for a number of years the only Elks Lodge in Florida. 


Boys’ Home Association of Jacksonville.—Founded in 
April, 1914, through the efforts of J. C. Lanier. Chartered 
in August, 1914, with 220 members. First officers: F. O. 
Miller, president; H. H. Simmons, vice-president; R. T. 
Dewell, secretary ; J. C. Lanier, treasurer. Opened a home 
at No. 25 East Church Street August 10,1914. Incorporated 


440 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


September 9, 1914. Moved to No. 33 West Sixth Street 
(Springfield) in May, 1920. Opened Boys’ Club in old armory 
building in 1920. Based on the Big Brother movement. 


Boy Scouts of America, Jacksonville Council.—The Boy 
Scout movement in Jacksonville was started in 1911 with the 
organization of three troops of about 20 boys each; but it 
was not until February 5, 1920, when the Jacksonville Coun- 
cil was formed and became directly affiliated with the 
National organization, that the movement was firmly estab- 
lished. In 1924 the local council was composed of 82 troops, 
totalling 1,289 Scouts. The Scout oath is: “On my honor I 
will do my best: To do my duty to God and my Country, and 
to obey the Scout law; to help other people at all times; to 
keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally 
straight”. 


Children’s Home Society of Florida.—Founded by Rev. 
D. W. Comstock, a retired Congregational minister of Chi- 
cago. Organized and incorporated as a non-sectarian charity 
November 2, 1902. The first officers: Rev. W. E. Boggs, 
president ; Dr. R. H. Dean and D. U. Fletcher, vice-presidents ; 
C. H. Smith, secretary; W. H. Baker and W. J. Bryan, coun- 
sellors, all of Jacksonville. First Receiving Home was opened 
at No. 2029 Main Street in January, 1910, in a building do- 
nated free of rent for two years by Frank Cary-Elwes. 
Known as ‘“Florida’s Greatest Charity” it has grown to be 
the largest of its kind in the South and the third in the United 
States under the splendid management of Marcus C. Fagg. 


Civitan Club of Jacksonville. —Chartered December 15, 
1920, with 50 charter members and installed the same date 
by Kenneth F. Smith, field representative of the International 
Association. Charter officers: Alfred C. Ulmer, president; 
Stockton Broome, vice-president ; George H. Ford, treasurer; 
Lyman P. Prior, secretary. The club’s motto is, “Builders 
of Good Citizenship’. 


Daughters of the American Revolution, Jacksonville Chap- 
ter.—Through the efforts of Mrs. John G. Christopher the 
members of the National D. A. R. residing in Jacksonville 
were brought together at a meeting held April 2, 1895, when 
the local organization was formed with 13 members. They 
applied for a charter and it was granted February 14, 1896. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE. FLORIDA 44} 


The charter officers of the Jacksonville chapter were: Mrs. 
J. G. Christopher, regent; Mrs. Dennis Eagan, secretary; 
Mrs. H. H. Buckman, treasurer. This was the first D. A. R. 
chapter in Florida and is known as the “Mother Chapter” 
among the many since organized in the State. 


Elizabeth Edgar Home for Working Girls.—Founded by 
Mrs. Joseph H. Smith in 1910, and opened that year in a two- 
story old-fashioned frame building at the northwest corner 
of Catherine and Forsyth Streets. Mrs. M. C. Drysdale was 
the first president and Bishop E. G. Weed the first subscrib- 
ing member. Object: To provide a home with home influ- 
ences for homeless working girls earning small salaries. 
Though beset by many financial storms in the early years. 
the institution proved its worth and was firmly established 
when, with the aid of generous citizens, it acquired the home 
at No. 119 West Beaver Street and opened it October 14, 1920. 


Exchange Club.—Organized in November, 1923, and in- 
stalled November 23, 1923, by R. C. Booth, with 25 charter 
members and the following officers: W. C. Cooper, Jr., presi- 
dent; H. R. Chapman, M. W. Pruitt, G. N. Patrick, vice-presi- 
dents; D. A. Deen, secretary; J. L. Odom, treasurer. The 
motto of the Club is, ‘Unity for Service’. 


Federation of Mothers’ Clubs of Jacksonville.—The fed- 
eration was formed April 28, 1913, at a meeting in the Board 
of Trade rooms, at which 8 local Mothers’ Clubs were repre- 
sented. The first officers of the Federation were: Mrs. J. A. 
Craig, president; Mrs. Frank Brown, Mrs. N. C. Wamboldt, 
Mrs. J. E. Merrill, Mrs. James McDonnell, vice-presidents ; 
Mrs. C. I. Capps, recording, and Mrs. O. Brownell, correspond- 
ing secretaries; Mrs. W. A. Redding, treasurer. 


Florida Country Club.—The St. Johns Golf Club was or- 
ganized February 29, 1896, and was the first golf club in 
Jacksonville. The officers at that time were: E. Sudlow, 
president; T. M. Day, Jr., vice-president ; W. Mucklow, secre- 
tary; B. H. Barnett, treasurer. This club was reorganized 
and chartered July 20, 1897, with J. G. Christopher, presi- 
dent; T. M. Day, Jr., vice-president ; W. Mucklow, secretary ; 
H. G. Aird, treasurer. The reorganized club leased the old 
fairgrounds in Fairfield, built a club house and laid off a 
7-hole golf course. The club was reorganized again and incor- 
porated as the Florida Country Club September 5, 1903. Golf 


442 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


took hold slowly in Jacksonville and it was not until the club 
moved to Ortega that the game became established generally 
as a popular sport. The opening reception in the club house 
in Ortega was on June 4, 1910. 


Florida Yacht Club.—Organized April 28, 1877, with 17 
charter members. J. H. Crosby, Jr., was the first Commo- 
dore. The first club house was erected over the water east 
of the foot of Market Street; it cost $3,500 to build it, of 
which amount William Astor of New York donated the first 
$500. The first meeting was held in the club house Decem- 
ber 19, 1877, and the first ball given there was on the 27th 
of that month. The club was incorporated March 5, 1879. 
The club house was burned in the fire of May 3, 1901. The 
club was without a permanent home for several years after 
the fire, when it acquired property at the mouth of Willow 
Branch in Riverside and built its present club house, which 
was opened with a reception November 28, 1907. This is 
Jacksonville’s oldest social organization. 


Garden Club of Jacksonville—Organized by Mrs. A. G. 
Cummer March 25, 1922, with 20 members. First officers: 
Mrs. A. G. Cummer, president; Mrs. J. A. Ferguson and Mrs. 
Millar Wilson, vice-presidents; Mrs. Jonathan Yerkes, secre- 
tary-treasurer. The object of this organization is to encour- 
age interest in gardens, their design and management; to 
cooperate in preserving wild flowers and native plants and 
trees ; and to promote civic planting in general. In 1923 the 
Garden Club inaugurated the annual flower show held in 
Jacksonville. The numerous local garden and flower clubs 
are the outgrowth of this organization. 


Home for Aged Women.—A number of ladies interested 
in establishing a home for aged and homeless women. met in 
the parlors of the W. C. T. U. February 21, 1899, to discuss 
the matter. This meeting led to a permanent organization of 
the Home for Aged Women Association May 15, 1899, when 
the first officers were elected, namely: Mrs. J. D. Mitchell, 
president; Mrs. Dennis Eagan and Mrs. T. V. Porter, vice- 
presidents; Mrs. W. W. Cummer, treasurer; Mrs. Guy R. 
Pride, recording, and Mrs. Lawrence Haynes, corresponding 
secretaries. The Association on March 24, 1900, rented a 
10-room house at No. 509 E. Duval Street. This was the 
first Home; it was burned in the fire of 1901. The name was 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 443 


changed to Home for the Aged April 5, 1900, and incorporated 
under that name May 11, 1900. 


Improved Order of Red Men, Seminole Tribe No. 29.—Or- 
ganized and instituted February 7, 1902, by W. Harry Gage 
of Palatka. First officers: J. E. Johnson, sachem; R. P. Sher- 
idan, senior sagamore; C. C. Blake, junior sagamore; J. W. 
White, prophet. This Tribe was the successor of Iroquois of 
1892, Cherokee No. 8 of 1894, and Suwanee No. 20 of 1898, 
all of which in turn had become defunct. 


Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Florida Lodge No. 1.— 
Organized at the town of Black Creek (Middleburg). Charter 
issued by the Grand Lodge of the United States March 9, 
1841. This Lodge was moved to Jacksonville in 1844, and 
was the first fraternal order having a Lodge here. Soon after 
the removal to Jacksonville the Lodge bought the lot at the 
southeast corner of Adams and Market Streets and built a 
two-story frame building with lodge rooms above and hall 
below. Being the only hall in the town for a long time it was 
used as a school room and also as a sort of community meet- 
ing place. This Lodge is still active. 


Junior League of America, Jacksonville Chapter.—Organ- 
ized November 8, 1923, as the Day Nursery Aid by 20 young 
society women of Jacksonville for the purpose of caring for 
the children of working mothers during work hours. The 
organizing officers were: Mrs. John L. Doggett, Jr., presi- 
dent; Mrs. W. R. McQuaid and Miss Alice Jones, vice-presi- 
dents; Miss Marion Adams, recording secretary; Mrs. Lin- 
wood Jeffreys, corresponding secretary; Mrs. D. M. Barnett, 
treasurer. With a membership increased to 100, the Day 
Nursery Aid became affiliated with the Junior League of 
America March 13, 1924; this was the first chapter of the 
Junior League in Florida. It opened the Home at No. 225 
East Church Street May 22, 1924. 


Kiwanis Club of Jacksonville-—Chartered November 14, 
1919, with 39 members, and installed the same day by A. J. 
Arrant, of Birmingham, Ala. First Officers: W. G. Stedeford, 
president; A. Y. Milam, vice-president; C. A. Tutewiler, sec- 
retary ; D. M. Barnett, treasurer. The motto of the Kiwanis 
Club is ‘We Build’, 


444 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Knights of Pythias.—The first lodge of K. of P. in Jack- 
sonville was Myrtle Lodge No. 2, instituted April 9, 1878, by 
J. E. Elliott, Deputy G. C. of Florida, assisted by D. B. Wood- 
ruff, G. C., and Felix Corput, P. C., both of Georgia. A fire 
early in 1876 burned out and broke up this Lodge, but it was 
reinstituted June 28, 1877, by Supreme Vice Chancellor 
Woodruff. The revived Lodge however ceased before the end 
of the year, and the K. of P. were without a Lodge here until 
October 7, 1885, when Montefiore Lodge No. 2 was instituted 
by Deputy Supreme Chancellor Cowan, with Jacob Burkheim, 
P. C.; O. Z. Tyler, C. G.; Philip Walter, V. C., and M. M. 
Belissario, M. A. 


Lions Club of Jacksonville.—Organized and installed May 
8, 1924, by A. R. Mundorff, field director of the National asso- 
ciation. There were 50 members. The officers at organiza- 
tion were: J. R. Dunn, president; R. P. Marks and Burton 
Barrs, vice-presidents; A. E. Adamson, secretary; G. A. 
Kirk, Jr., treasurer. The Club slogan is derived from the 
letters of the name Lions—“Liberty, Intelligence, Our Na- 
tion’s Safety’’. 


Loyal Order of Moose, Jacksonville Chapter No. 455.—In- 
stituted by Deputy Supreme Organizer W. H. Gage January 
238, 1911, at which time the following officers were installed: 
J. W. White, past dictator; L. B. Bennett, dictator; S.T.Shay- 
lor, vice-dictator; G. A. Maumon, prelate; C. A. Kelly, secre- 
tary; W.S. Jordan, treasurer. 


National Society Colonial Dames in America in the State 
of Florida.—Organized in December, 1898, and incorporated 
January 31, 1899, with 16 charter members. Mrs. Robert H. 
Gamble was the first president. A provision of the charter 
is that the annual elections shall always be held in the City 
of Jacksonville. There are no local chapters of the Society. 


National Society U.S. Daughters of 1812.—The Society is 
organized by States and the Florida charter dates from 
October 11, 1910, having been organized by Mrs. D. L. Gaul- 
den of DeLand. The charter provides that the annual meet- 
ings shall be held in the residence city of the president; Miss 
Ella M. Rorabeck having held the office of president a total 
of eight years, the majority of the annual meetings have 
been held in Jacksonville. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 445 


Masonic, Solomon Lodge No. 20 F.& A. M.—First Masonic 
organization in Jacksonville. Organized in 1848 under the 
authority of a dispensation granted by Joseph B. Lancaster, 
G. M. The charter was issued January 10, 1849, and the 
Lodge was installed (probably) by Judge Thomas Douglas. 
The first officers were James W. Bryant, W. M.; Philip Cox, 
5S. W.; Charles W. Downing, J. W. At the close of the first 
year there were 17 members. The lodge is still active and 
the largest in the State. 


Rotary Club of Jacksonville.-—Organized February 13, 
1912, with 13 charter members. The Club was installed by 
EK. R. Murphy of the Chicago Rotary Club. The first officers 
were: George W. Clark, president; H. B. Minium and F. O. 
Miller, vice-presidents; Clifford A. Payne, secretary; Myron 
L. Howard, treasurer. The local club was the first in Florida 
and the second in the South, New Orleans having organized 
previously. The slogan of Rotary is “He profits most who 
serves best’’. 


St. Mary’s Home for Orphan Girls——Founded and opened 
May 7, 1886, in a small building at the southeast corner of 
Ocean and Church Streets, with Sisters Mary Ann and Maria 
in charge. A new and larger brick Orphanage and Home was 
built on this site and dedicated February 25, 1891, by Bishop 
Moore of St. Augustine. At that time the Home was in 
charge of Sisters Mary Ann, Jane Francis, and Aveilhe, with 
18 little orphan girls under their care. This building was 
burned in the fire of May 3, 1901. 


Salvation Army.—The Salvation Army held its first street 
service in Jacksonville January 11, 1891, at the corner of 
Ocean and Bay Streets; Adjutant J. C. Smith was in charge. 
The first hall was on the north side of Forsyth Street between 
Ocean and Main. The Army’s slogan is, “A man may be 
down, but he is never out’”—a fact that it has demonstrated 
times without number. 


Seaman’s Institute.—Founded by Rev. Karl J. Frost May 
1, 1915, and permanently established through the efforts of 
Mr. Frost and Bishop E. G. Weed July 27, 1915, when the 
Home at No. 423 East Bay Street was opened. The first 
president and chairmen of important committees were: Rev. 
W. A. Hobson, president; Rev. J. T. Boone, chairman of direc- 


446 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


tors; A. D. Stevens, executive; A. B. Potter, finance; Rev. 
W.C. Pierce, social. Object: The spiritual and temporal wel- 
fare and uplift of seamen of whatever religion and nation- 
ality. 


Seminole Club.—Organized April 19, 1887. Organizing 
officers: F. R. Osborne, president ; J. M. Barrs, vice-president ; 
A. C. Cowan, secretary; W. R. Hunter, treasurer. The Club 
secured temporary quarters in the Law Exchange building 
on Market Street. In July, 1887, the Randall house at the 
southeast corner of Monroe and Hogan Streets was leased, 
repaired and furnished; here the Club’s first public reception 
was given in the fall of 1887. This was the Club’s home until 
the spring of 1890, when it moved to the northeast corner of 
Main and Forsyth Streets. It was burned out in the Main 
Street fire of 1891, but returned upon the rebuilding of block 
after the fire, and was again burned out in May, 1901. The 
Seminole Club is next to the Yacht Club the oldest social or- 
ganization. 


Timuquana Country Club.—Organized January 11, 1923; 
chartered February 12, 1923, with John L. Roe, president; 
Archer 8. Hubbard, vice-president; Joel H. Tucker, Jr., sec- 
retary; George J. Avent, treasurer. The membership is 
limited to 200; at the end of the first year the active mem- 
bership was 195. Although promoting athletics in general, 
this is mainly a golf club. The club house was opened with 
a reception early in 1924. Derives its name from the Tim- 
uqua Indian tribe that inhabited this section in Ponce de 
Leon’s day. 


United Daughters of the Confederacy, Martha Reid Chap- 
ter.—Originally organized May 14, 1892, as the Woman’s 
Confederate Home Association of Jacksonville, to aid in 
establishing a Home for destitute Confederate soldiers. It 
bore that name until 1894, when the general U. D. C. was 
founded for the purpose of combining all women’s Confed- 
erate memorial associations in one confederation. The local 
association then applied for a charter, 31 members signing 
the application; a charter was granted November 8, 1895, as 
Martha Reid Chapter No. 19, U. D. C. It was the first chapter 
in Florida and 19th of the general organization now number- 
ing almost 2,000 chapters, and the parent of the Florida 
Division U. D.C. The original officers of Martha Reid chap- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 447 


ter were: Mrs. Susan Hartridge, president; Mrs. M. C. Drys- 
dale, vice-president; Mrs. J. O. Bessent, secretary; Mrs. F. 
P. Fleming, treasurer. 


Woodmen of the World, Palmetto Camp No. 3.—Organ- 
ized February 11, 1893; chartered April 22, 1893, with 17 
members. The camp was installed by N. L. Bankroft, of 
Omaha. First officers: F. W. Ellis, consul commander; E. A. 
Ricker, advisory lieutenant; L. H. Green, banker; F. H. 
Hanne, clerk; C. D. Mills, escort; J. H. Krues, sentry ; Fred 
Puckharber, watchman; J. F. Rhodes, Telfair Stockton and 
EK. Tucker, auditors; Dr. H. R. Stout, physician. 


Y. M. C. A. of Jacksonville-——The forerunner of the pres- 
ent Y. M. C. A. in Jacksonville was the organization of 1870, 
with J. M. Baker, president; A. J. Russell and J. J. Daniel, 
vice-presidents; A. M. Jones, corresponding secretary; D. V. 
N. Person, recording scribe; Rev. Frederick Pasco, treasurer. 
The history of this early Y. M. C. A. can be traced through 
1876, but is lost thereafter. A. Y. M. C. A. (probably a re- 
organization) was formed January 10, 1886, and permanently 
established May 10, 1886, with 85 members: G. W. Garret, 
president; J. K. Williams and Ira Mowry, vice-presidents ; 
S. O. Mitchell, secretary. At the end of the first year 225 
names were enrolled. There have been several reorganiza- 
tions since 1886. 


Y. W.C. A. of Jacksonville-—Organized in February and 
chartered in April, 1911, with 960 subscribing members. 
Organizing officers: Mrs. B. H. Barnett, president; Mrs. W. 
B. Young and Mrs. J. H. Powell, vice-presidents; Mrs. F. N. 
Starmont, recording secretary ; Miss Leola Ellis, correspond- 
ing secretary ; Mrs. W. A. Lloyd, treasurer. Object: To fur- 
nish a safe and economical boarding home and lunch room 
for business girls where a general friendliness and sympa- 
thetic understanding of the problems confronting them may 
be acquired, along with instruction in the principles of health, 
recreation and amusement, together with opportunities for 
educational and religious training. 


448 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XXV 
JACKSONVILLE NEWSPAPERS 


Beginning in 1835, the record of local newspapers repre- 
sents a chain, the links of which are years. Rust spots, 
meaning temporary suspensions, appear here and there in 
the early years, but only in two places are the links com- 
pletely gone, in 1841 and 1862-8. A trace of a paper may 
yet be found for 1841. 


Jacksonville Courier—This was the first paper started in 
Jacksonville, in January, 1835. It was a weekly paper pub- 
lished by Lorenzo Currier & Co., of Boston, with Elijah Wil- 
liams, a lawyer, as active editor. Mr. Williams died in about 
a year,* and after a temporary suspension the paper reap- 
peared in the fall of 1836 under the ownership of Haslam, 
Dexter & Gregory.” O. M. Dorman afterward became con- 
nected with the Courier, but in what capacity is not clear.¢ 
On or before February 15, 1838, Weir & Richardson took 
charge of the Courier, with Rev. David Brown (Rector of 
St. John’s Church) in the editorial chair. The editor of the 
Pensacola paper “‘took a fling” at Mr. Brown’s poetry, stating 
that “he wrote poetry as the fellow in the play wrote prose; 
his sentences are inverted as we find them in blank verse, as 
thus—‘inverted are his sentences all’.”’ So it seems that even 
at this early day editors were in the habit of paying their 
“respects” to one another. Financial troubles, probably 
brought on by the Seminole war, beset the Courier and Jack- 
- gonville’s first newspaper went out of existence in 1839. 


East Florida Advocate.—The vacancy left by the Courier 
was filled by the Advocate, which appeared in 1839, Aaron 
Jones, Jr., editor. This paper was published until the end of 
1840, Mr. Jones moving in January, 1841, to St. Augustine to 
accept a position with the News.’ 


Tropical Plant.—George M. Grouard came to Jacksonville 
from Washington, D. C., and late in 1842 started the Tropical 
Plant.¢ It may have been an agricultural paper carrying 
news items, for about that time there seems to have been a 
development scheme known as the Tropical Plant Nursery 
Development. This, however, is only an inference, as there 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 449 


are no known copies of the paper in existence.© The Trop- 
ical Plant was still going in December, 1844. Sometime after 
this Mr. Grouard changed the name of the paper to the Flor- 
ida Statesman, and it was published under this name to at 
least September 13, 1845,° the last definite record of it. 


Florida Whig and People’s Advocate—About April, 1845, 
T. T. Russell, formerly an editor of the St. Augustine News, 
came to Jacksonville to conduct a temporary political paper 
in the interest of I. D. Hart, who was running for public 
office. This paper was called the Florida Whig and People’s 
Advocate, but the length of its name had nothing to do with 
the length of its life, for it was in existence only about a 
month. Temporary political papers were by no means un- 
common in those days.? 


Florida News.—The News was moved from St. Augustine 
to Jacksonville in the autumn of 1845 and published by 
A. C. Gillett and A. B. Hazzard. It was an old, well-estab- 
lished paper, Democratic in politics and was the mouth-piece 
and did the newspaper fighting for the party in East Florida.4 
Among the early editors after removal to Jacksonville were, 
George Powers, Dr. Charles Byrne, and J. F. Rogers. The 
News plant was burned out in 1854, but the paper was after- 
ward reestablished, followed by a change of ownership and 
name.? 


Florida Republican.—This was a Whig paper established 
in 1848 by Columbus Drew, who was its editor until 1855. 
Mr. Drew was on the editorial staff of the American before 
coming to Jacksonville in 1848. With the establishment of 
the Republican the town of Jacksonville had two of the best 
newspapers in the State, one Democratic (News) and the 
other Whig; they were often engaged in bitter political con- 
troversies and fought a political war that was sensational in 
character. The editors, however, do not seem to have been 
involved in any duels. The Republican plant was also burned 
out in the fire of 1854,¢ but was reestablished. For a few 
months in 1856 the paper was issued as a semi-weekly, pos- 
sibly the first semi-weekly paper in Florida. Ownership 
changed to W. W. Moore,’ and about 1858 the name of the 
paper was changed to St. Johns Mirror. 


450 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Jacksonville Standard.—There is a record of this paper 
for the forepart of the year 1859; nothing further is known 
of it.¢ 


Southern Rights.—This paper appeared shortly before 
the outbreak of the War Between the States and was an 
advocate of Southern principles. It was conducted by 
(Holmes) Steele and (Aristides) Doggett.¢ The foregoing 
is according to the recollection of an old resident. There is 
a positive record of the Southern Confederacy published at 
Jacksonville March 15, 1861; it was Vol. 1, No. 9, a four-page, 
six-column weekly published every Friday.’ It is possible 
that these papers were the same, with only a change of name.¢ 


After the War 


Florida Times.—Started in 1865 and was published at 
least as late as May 16, 1867.¢ 


Mercury.—A semi-weekly paper started in October, 1867, 
by J. E. Frost & Co. Though a Republican paper it was de- 
voted to conservative interests and according to the Floridian 
of Tallahassee, ‘‘on that account should become very popular 
in a section (Duval County) where the necessity of such a 
paper has been felt for some time’’. 


Florida Courier.°—Established in 1870 by William and J. 
P. Perry of Madison. In (probably) March, 1872, Harrison 
W. Clark gained control of the paper and changed its politics 
to Democratic; at that time it was the only Democratic paper 
in the County. 


Jacksonville Press.°—Established January 22, 1874, by H. 
B. McCallum and W. W. Douglass. In 1876 the circulation of 
the Press was 2,140. The paper was published as a semi- 
weekly, with a weekly edition also; it was combined with the 
Jacksonville Sun in June, 1877. 


Jacksonville Sun.°—The Sun was a tri-weekly paper estab- 
lished by N. K. Sawyer & Son, January 22, 1876. It was Re- 
publican in politics. 


Jacksonville Daily Sun and Press.°—The Sun and the Press 
were consolidated June 13, 1877, the paper being issued every 
morning except Monday. It was a good paper for its day 
and appeared to be independent in politics, though its leaning 


gg 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA A51 


finally became Republican. The last positive record of the 
Sun and Press is the issue of September, 1880; N. K. Sawyer 
was lessee. 


Jacksonville Daily Chronicle..—This was an afternoon 
paper started July 24, 1877, by George F. Cubbedge and Har- 
rison W. Clark. The owners sold the paper to the proprietors 
of the Sun and Press November 19, 1877. The new owners 
continued its publication for a month or so only. The time 
was approaching, but had not then arrived for the successful 
publication of an afternoon daily in Jacksonville. 


The Breeze.,—On November 15, 1878, the Breeze made 
its appearance. It was an afternoon daily published by Reu- 
ben and M. R. Bowden, with A. J. Russell as editorial writer. 
The opening salutation was: ‘We hope to make the Breeze a 
permanent institution in our midst by making it non-parti- 
san, non-sectarian, open-faced, open-hearted, live, liberal, 
level-headed, luminary; not sufficiently brilliant to obliterate 
the Sun, nor ‘“‘Breezy”’ enough to blind the wayside Traveler 
with the dust we raise’. The Breeze ceased in 1880, being 
purchased by one of the larger papers. 


Florida Daily Times.°~—-The Daily Times was established 
by C. H. Jones November 29,1881. Itwas Democratic and was 
ably edited by Mr. Jones. In May, 1882, a partnership was 
formed of C. H. Jones, his brother, George W. Jones, and J. P. 
Varnum, with the firm name Jones, Varnum & Co. In No- 
vember, 1882, a weekly edition was started. The Daily and 
the Weekly Times were soon classed among the most im- 
portant papers of the State. In February, 1883, the Times 
was consolidated with the Union under the name Times- 
Union. 


Jacksonville Evening Herald..—Ashmead Brothers 
started the Herald on April 13, 1883. In October, 1883, John 
Temple Graves and Harrison W. Clark formed a partnership 
and bought the Herald; Mr. Graves was editor and Mr. Clark 
business manager. They continued the publication of the 
paper as an afternoon daily (except Sunday) at $6.00 a year. 
Here it was that Mr. Graves established his reputation as a 
great editor and writer, for his editorials in the Herald 
gained wide notice. The Herald was sold to the Stockton 
Brothers (owners of the Jacksonville Morning News) in 1887, 
and the papers combined as the News-Herald. 


452 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Jacksonville Morning News.’—LEstablished February 2, 
1886, by the News Printing and Publishing Company, com- 
posed of John P. Varnum and F. W. Hawthorne. Mr. Var- 
num was editor and Mr. Hawthorne business manager. It 
was a 4-page, 7-column morning paper, issued daily except 
Monday, subscription price, $6.00 a year. The News was in- 
dependent in politics. Early in 1887, Stockton Brothers (T. 
T., Telfair, and John N. C.) and a few associates, banded 
themselves together for the purpose of buying all of the daily 
papers in Jacksonville. Their first purchase was the Morning 
News; then they bought the Evening Herald. This was in 
May, 1887. These papers were combined and published as 
a morning daily, under the name News-Herald. The Stock- 
tons published the News-Herald about a year, in the mean- 
time incorporating as the Florida Publishing Company. The 
Florida Publishing Company purchased the Times-Union 
in 1888, and then discontinued the News-Herald. 


The Daily Florida Citizen..—-Established December 15, 
1898, by Lorettus S. Metcalf, a veteran New York journalist, 
nine years business manager of the North American Review 
and founder of the Forum. Henry George, Jr., son of the 
single-tax advocate, was managing editor. The Citizen was 
a splendid paper and at once took first rank in the State. Mr. 
Metcalf continued as editor until February 24, 1897, being 
succeeded by George W. Wilson. Gaining a controlling in- 
terest in the stock of the Florida Publishing Company (pub- 
lishers of the Times-Union), the owners.of the Citizen com- 
bined the papers September 9, 1897, as the Florida Times- 
Union and Citizen, with George W. Wilson as editor. 


Of the many newspapers of Jacksonville that were started 
and ceased, the foregoing were the most important of their 
day. There were numerous other ventures into the news- 
paper field in Jacksonville, and among the dailies may be 
mentioned: Daily Journal, Harrison Reed, 1884; Opinion, 
Charles L. Fildes, December, 1885; ran about a week and 
closed up, the publisher stating that the A. P. went back on 
him; Daily Standard, C. E. Merrill, 1890-92; Daily Florida 
Republican, B. C. Drake, 1892; Evening Call, W. L. May & 
Co., 1899-1900; Daily Sun, Claude L’Engle, 1904-5; spicy 
afternoon paper; Jacksonville Star, R. I. E. Dunn, managing 
editor, winter of 1912-13; penny afternoon paper; Jackson- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 453 


ville News, C. B. & A. Hanson, 1913-14; last venture into 
the daily field in Jacksonville. 


Florida Times-Union 


The Times-Union traces back through merger and pur- 
chase to the Florida Union, a 4-page, 6-column, weekly war 
news sheet, started in Jacksonville by John K. Stickney, 
Saturday, December 31, 1864.2 Stickney published the paper 
until 1867, when he sold his plant to E. M. Cheney, a new- 
comer to Jacksonville, who enlarged both the plant and the 
paper. In the hands of the new owner it was a bitter partisan 
paper all during the “reconstruction period’’.” Cheney ad- 
vanced the paper to a semi-weekly, then to a tri-weekly, and 
for a short time he tried to make it a daily. The venture 
proved a financial failure and the paper was returned to tri- 
weekly. Peeved at his lack of success, Cheney sold the 
Florida Union early in 1873. For several months in 1878, 
Walton, Fowle & Co. published the Union as a tri-weekly, 
with also a weekly edition, J. S. Adams occupying the edi- 
torial chair. In October, 1873, C. F. Mawbey & Co. were the 
proprietors of the Florida Union, with J.S. Adams still listed 
as editor. N. K. Sawyer assumed control of the paper Janu- 
ary 19, 1874,¢ and we learn from the Floridian of Tallahassee 
of March 10, 1874, that “The Jacksonville Union now issues 
a half-sheet extra every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 
mornings, which, taken in connection with the regular tri- 
weekly edition on the alternate mornings, constitutes prac- 
tically a daily paper. The Union now receives all the As- 
sociated Press dispatches, market reports, etc., up to 2 a.m.” 
In 1875, Mawbey & Co. were again the proprietors of the 
paper. Early in 1876, the Daily Florida Union had an adver- 
tised circulation of 1,000, and the subscription price was $10 
ayear.¢ Throughout all of this time, the politics of the paper 
never changed from Republican. After the elections of 1876, 
when the Democrats gained control of the State, the Union 
collapsed as a daily, and then ownership passed to Stevens 
Brothers, who conducted it as a weekly for a number of 
months.’ 

In 1877, Rev. H. B. McCallum and W. W. Douglass pur- 
chased the Union from Stevens Brothers; the politics of the 
paper was now strongly Democratic. Under this ownership 
the Florida Union was advanced to an afternoon daily, and 


454 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


probably about November, 1879, to a permanent morning 
daily. In the meantime, W. W. Douglass had sold his in- 
terest in the paper.” H. B. McCallum published the Daily 
Florida Union until February, 1883, when he sold the prop- 
erty to Jones, Varnum & Company, owners of the Florida 
Daily Times. The two papers were combined as the Florida 
Times-Union, the first issue under this name being that of 
February 4, 18838. The new owners continued to publish a 
weekly edition also, under the old name Florida Weekly 
Times. In 1884, C. H. Jones purchased the interest of J. P. 
Varnum and changed the firm name to C. H. Jones & Brother.¢ 

In 1888, C. H. Jones sold the Times-Union to the Florida 
Publishing Company, publishers of the News-Herald, and in 
the consolidation of the plants, the News-Herald was dis- 
continued and the Times-Union retained.¢ 


The Florida Publishing Company, publishers of the 
Times-Union, entered the afternoon field also, on January 22, 
1891, with the first issue of the Evening Telegram. On 
March 10, 1894, the name of the evening edition was changed 
to Evening Times-Union, and on September 9, 1897, to Eve- 
ning Times-Union and Citizen, under which name it was pub- 
lished until January 6, 1898, when the evening edition was 
discontinued. Hamilton Jay was editor of the Evening 
Times-Union for a number of years, and to the time it was 
discontinued.¢ 


Obtaining a controlling interest in the stock of the Flor- 
ida Publishing Company, publishers of the Times-Union, the 
owners of the Daily Florida Citizen consolidated the two 
papers as the Florida Times-Union and Citizen, the first is- 
sue under this name being that of September 9, 1897. The 
paper was issued with this title until January 19, 1903, and 
afterward as Times-Union, the “and Citizen’ part being 
dropped to conserve unnecessary type-setting and also to 
make it easier for the newsboys to call.¢ 

The editors of the Times-Union, after it became the prop- 
erty of the Florida Publishing Company in 1888, were: Ed- 
win Martin (died of yellow fever in 1888) ; F. W. Hawthorne, 
1888 to 1898; various editorial writers, 1893 to 1897; George 
W. Wilson, September 9, 1897, until his death, June 2, 1908. 
Willis M. Ball succeeded Mr. Wilson as editor-in-chief of the 
Times-Union.¢ 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 455 


Jacksonville Journal 


When the Morning News and the Evening Herald were 
combined in May, 1887, most of the employees of the Herald 
were thrown out of employment, among them W. R. Carter 
and Rufus A. Russell. Messrs. Carter and Russell formed a 
partnership for the publication of a Democratic afternoon 
paper to supply the field left vacant by the Herald. Gather- 
ing up some odds and ends of printing material, they made 
a start on July 2, 1887, with a 4-page, 8-column paper that 
they named the Florida Metropolis. Mr. Carter was editor 
and Mr. Russell business manager. Such was the birth of the 
present Jacksonville Journal, in a small plant of two rooms 
on Laura Street. The first week the receipts were sufficient 
to meet expenses—something unusual for a newspaper just 
starting with limited capital. From that time the paper was 
self-supporting, though the struggle at first was a trying one, 
owing to the yellow fever epidemic of the following year.’ 

For more than a quarter of a century, the original pro- 
prietors, Carter & Russell, were continuously at the helm. 
The paper was issued every week-day in the year, with the 
exception of about two weeks during the yellow fever epi- 
demic; and on May 8, 1901, the day of the big fire by which 
the plant was burned. On the day after the fire the Metro- 
polis appeared, having been printed on the press of the 
Times-Union and Citizen, and it was so printed until its own 
plant was rebuilt.’ 

The Metropolis was developed by its owners into a splen- 
did investment, and when Carter & Russell sold it July 19, 
1918, to George A. McClellan, the price agreed upon repre- 
sented a comfortable fortune. The new owner was not able 
to carry out his contract, however, and the plant was re- 
turned to Carter & Russell, who resumed the publication of 
the paper May 27, 1916. They published the paper until May 
10, 1920, on which date 8. A. Lynch (of the Lynch moving- 
picture enterprises) acquired the Metropolis by purchase, 
and issued it with Quimby Melton as editor. The property 
changed hands again June 1, 1922, coming into the owner- 
ship of a newspaper syndicate, headed by J. H. Perry and R. 
L. Jones, with the latter as editor. On June 6, 1922, the 
name of the paper was changed to Jacksonville Journal. Af- 
ter a few months Mr. Perry acquired the interest of his as- 
sociate and took personal charge of the paper as editor.° 


456 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


A Sunday-morning edition of the Metropolis was started 
August 9, 1914, during the ownership of G. A. McClellan; the 
Sunday edition was discontinued with the issue of July 28, 
1916, by Carter & Russell, who had in the meantime resumed 
the ownership of the Metropolis.¢ 


*In this record of Jacksonville’s newspapers no attempt 
has been made to trace the history of agricultural papers or 
trade journals, nor that of the weekly newspapers after the 
dailies became firmly established. When the complete history 
of Florida journalism is compiled, and the first volume of it 
has already been written by Prof. J. O. Knauss in his “History 
of Territorial Florida Newspapers”, all of them will be in- 
cluded, together with the important part they played in the 
history of the State’s development. 


Of the editors and editorial writers connected with the 
papers and periodicals of Jacksonville since the War Between 
the States, many died in this city. Among them may be 
mentioned: A. N. Adams, John 8S. Adams, 8. A. Adams, W. H. 
Babcock, M. R. Bowden, Reuben Bowden, W. H. Christy, Har- 
rison W. Clark, W. W. Douglass, John Frank, Albert Fries, 
Lionel Jacobs, Hamilton Jay (suicided), Claude L’Engle, H. 
B. McCallum, Edwin Martin, Samuel R. Mattair, F.C. Powers, 
Dennis Redmond, Harrison Reed, Solon Robinson, A. J. Rus- 
sell, Willis M. Russell, N. K. Sawyer, E. M. Thompson (sui- 
cided), John D. Tredwell, W.S. Wagstaff, George W. Wilson. 
Those that died in other places: E. B. Barker (Alabama), B. 
M. Barrington (Alabama), S. T. Bates (Ohio), E. M. Cheney 
(Nebraska), C. C. Codrington (DeLand, Fla.), D. H. Elliott 
(Georgia), John E. Elliott (St. Augustine, Fla.), Hilton H. 
Helper (Washington, D. C.), Edwin Higgins (Washington, 
D. C.), Henry Jones (New York), Camillus L’Engle (Atlan- 
ta), W. W. Moore (Starke, Fla.), William and J. P. Perry 
(Madison, Fla.), John P. Varnum (Massachusetts), C. H 
Jones (in Italy). 


Bibliography, Chapter XXV 


‘aJacksonville Tri-weekly Sun, Feb. 19, 1876; bJ. O. Knauss, author Beara of 
Territorial Florida Newspapers’’; cAuthor’s inference; dTimes-Union, Feb. 8, 1883; 
eKither directly from the paper being traced or from accounts published by other news- 
papers; fLife and Labors of A. J. Russell, 1897; gA copy is on file in Congressional 
Library; shW. W. Douglass, long connected with newspaper publication in Jacksonville: 
Florida "Times-Union and Citizen, Feb. 25, 1901. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 4657 


CHAPTER XXVI 
LOCAL MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS 


In 1835, when it was apparent that there would be trouble 
with the Seminole Indians, a regiment of militia was organ- 
ized in northeast Florida, composed of men from Duval, Nas- 
sau and probably St. Johns Counties. It was known as the 
Fourth Regiment of Florida Militia and was commanded by 
Col. John Warren, and the First Battalion by Lt. Col. Wm. J. 
Mills, both of the Jacksonville neighborhood. It is indicated 
that Company D, First Battalion, commanded by Capt. D. S. 
Gardner, was composed of local men, but its roster is not 
available. The Fourth Regiment was among the first to be 
ordered out, nearly three weeks before the actual outbreak 
of hostilities. It marched from Jacksonville for the frontier, 
December 9, 1835.’ 

The Legislative Council of 1844 authorized the organiza- 
tion of the Jacksonville Guards; for what purpose is unknown, 
as no further record or reference to the company has been 
found anywhere. 


Duval County Mounted Volunteer Guard 


The organization of the Duval County Mounted Volunteer 
Guard was authorized by the Legislature in 1849, for service 
on the Indian River frontier in connection with Indian 
troubles. This company was mustered into the service of 
the State August 7, 1849; the muster roll was as follows: 


Officers 


Captain: Thomas Ledwith. Lieutenants: John Roberts, Jr., Ephraim 
L. Harrison. Sergeants: Aristides Doggett, A. J. Simmons, James Hig- 
ginbotham, Redden Turner. Corporals: James W. Higginbotham, Ben- 
jamin Falana, Edward Mitchell, Nathanial Wingate. Company Clerk: 
Isidore W. Garnie. 


Enlisted Men 


Aldrich, Whipple Crocker, Henry Hardin, James H. 
Andrews, Joseph Dooliff, Abner Harrell, Maberry 
Andrews, Thaddeus C. Falana, Huster Hodges, Samuel 
Bass, Wm. H. Geiger, Aaron Hogans, Reuben 


Codding, Geo. F. Grisham, Jesse Hogans, Washington 


458 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Hughey, George O’Hearn, Joshua D. Stewart, James 
Hughey, John Ortagus, Ignatio Saurez, Rapheal 
Hunter, William Ortagus, John: Tanner, Asa 
Hyne, Peter Potter, Constant Tanner, John 
Lamar, John Powers, Geo. C. Thebaut, Bartolo 
Long, Cornelius Reyes, Claudius Thompson, James F. 
Mansfield, Joshua Reynolds, William Turner, Benjamin 
Martin, Charles Roberts, Cornelius Turner, Cornelius 
Masters, H. D. Rose, Charles Turner, James 
McCormick, T. N. Rowe, John Turner, Lewellen 
Mitchell, William Rowe, William Turner, Wm. H. 
Morrison, F. K. Sauls, Allen Warren, Thomas 
Mur, Cecelio Smart, James M. Worley, Elias 


Jacksonville Light Infantry 


The Jacksonville Light Infantry was organized April 30, 
1857, with the following roster :” 


Officers 
Captain: Holmes Steele. 


Lieutenants: F. C. Sollee, George Flagg, J. C. Buffington. 
Sergeants: Wm. Grothe, S. B. Flinn, Wm. Houston, H. W. Fitch, 
A. W. DaCosta. 

Corporals: T. R. Webb, S. Buffington, Jr., C. H. Collins, L. Warrock. 


Privates 
Aberle, C. C. DuPont, W. A. Oak, E. A. 
Ashurst, Watson Fleming, L. I. Ochus, A. A. 
Aubert, E. Haddock, W. Pappy, F. B. 
Brennan, P. Hirtler, F. G. Rushing, R. R. 
Butler, J. G. Houston, J. C. Shad, J. D. M. 
Burkheim, J. Keene, O. L. Smith, D. P. 
Caulk, Wm. Livingston, W. E. Smith, Frank 
Depue, F. Moody, H. M. Talle, P. H. 
Doggett, A. Moore, W. W. Wilson, J. Y. 
Doggett, S. F. Oak, B. E. Winter, J. I. 


Soon after organization T. E. Buckman, J. J. Daniel and 
others joined the company. The first street parade was held 
July 4, 1859, when the company marched to the country, 
about where Florida Avenue is now, and had target practice 
for two hours. The armory was then in a hall in a frame 
building on the north side of Bay Street between Hogan and 
Julia. According to one of the charter members, they had 
elaborate uniforms—coats of blue cloth with three rows of 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 459 


brass buttons down the front, high caps with pompons, pants 
of blue cloth and white pants for warm weather. In May, 
1860, the ladies of the town presented the company with a 
silk flag, made by themselves, and a street parade was held 
in celebration of the event.” 

Upon the withdrawal of Florida from the Union, the Jack- 
sonville Light Infantry offered its services to the Governor 
and was the first company officially accepted by the State. 
Detachments were sent to the mouth of the St. Johns River 
to erect fortifications at that point. Four cannon from Fort 
Marion at St. Augustine were put on log carts and hauled to 
the beach below Mayport, to a high sand dune west of the 
“Run”. Here a fort of palmetto logs was built by the com- 
pany under the direction of Captain John L’Engle, a retired 
U. 8S. Army officer. This post was named Fort Steele, in 
honor of Captain Steele ;’ above it floated another flag, made 
and presented by the ladies of Jacksonville—the company’s 
battle flag, inscribed “Let us alone’.c The company was 
ordered to Fort Steele in detachments, until April, when all 
were ordered there. About this time, a company known as 
the Duval County Cow Boys was formed and occupied St. 
Johns Bluff. 

The long roll was sounded but once at Fort Steele. One 
night the sentinel observed an object coming in that he 
thought was a launch from a Federal gunboat. He gave the 
alarm and the company was hastily drawn up on the beach to 
repel the invader, but it proved to be a pile of brush floating 
in with the tide.? 

The Jacksonville Light Infantry was mustered into the 
Confederate service as Company A, Third Florida Infantry, 
August 10, 1861. It was stationed at Fort Steele until early 
in March, 1862, when on the approach of the Federal squad- 
ron, the guns were spiked and the company returned to Jack- 
sonville under orders. Most of the companies comprising the 
Third Florida Regiment then went to Cedar Key, and in May, 
1862, the entire regiment for the first time was brought to- 
gether at Midway, Gadsden County, where it was reorgan- 
ized and sent to Mobile for several months. Early in August, 
1862, it went to Chattanooga. It went through the Kentucky 
campaign and was engaged in the battle of Perryville, Oc- 
tober 8, 1862, where it lost heavily in officers and men. The 


First Florida was also engaged and the losses were so heavy 


460 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


that the two regiments, First and Third Florida, were con- 
solidated.¢ 

The consolidated regiment was in all of the subsequent 
movements of Bragg’s army; was in the battle of Murfres- 
borough; at the siege of Jackson; and after the close of the 
Mississippi campaign, was engaged at Chickamauga and Mis- 
sionary Ridge, and in the engagements with Sherman’s army 
around Atlanta. The battle-scarred remnant of the Jack- 
sonville Light Infantry was mustered out near Greensboro, 
N. C., April 26, 1865.4 

Beginning with August 10, 1861, the roster of the Jack- 
sonville Light Infantry in the War Between the States was 
as follows :4 


Officers 


Captains: Holmes Steele; resigned November, 1861. 
John B. Oliveros; disabled at Perryville, October, 1862. 
Aristides Doggett; promoted to Captain November, 1862. 
1st Lieutenants: John G. Butler; John King. 
2d Lieutenants: Wm. Caulk; Francis H. Sabal; Wm. Haddock. 


Enlisted Men 


Allen, W. H. Fatio, L. L. Keenan, John 
Andrew, F. F. Floyd, A. V. Keenan, Peter 
Andrew, Ignacio Floyd, Francis Keenan, W. A. 
Biggs, Colin Floyd, J. H. Kill, John 
Booth, Richard Floyd, S. A. Killer, John 
Bowden, David Gilbert, David Lary, Joe 
Bowden, Edward Gilbert, Herrod Livingston, T. H. 
Bowden, W. R. Grayner, J. A. Lopez, Andrew 
Brodnax, E. C. Greek, Elijah Lopez, Joseph 
Brodnax, R. R. Hath Rvp, Lord, J. B. 
Bryant, W. A. Hamilton, Thos. Madden, John 
Canova, A. A. Hanford, G. W. Manusa, Mark 
Clark, Jas. Hansy, Alex. Manusa, Philip 
Collins, C. H. Harvey, J. J. Mather, Chas. 
Cubbage, A. M. Harvey, J. S. Mitchell, Wm. 
Curry, Robt. Hemming, C. C. Moody, H. M. 
Davis, J. S. Hernandez, A. Moony, Hugh 
Driver, John Hernandez, Frank Moony, J. J. 
Driver, Leonard Hopkins, Alphonzo Ortagus, Predentes 
Dunbary, Patrick Houston, J. C. Paterson, Thos. 
Duval, Virginius Houston, R. E. Perpaul, Chas. 
DeWaal, J. M. Houston, W. H. Perpaul, W. O. 
Edwards, Jas. Huchingson, M. M. T. Pinkham, B. 
Falana, Benj. Jackery, Lewis Ponce, John 


Falana, Romain Javnigan, D. Redman, James 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 461 


Richard, F. M. Smith, H. M. Wingate, Jerry 
Robion, S. G. Stewart, Robt. Wingate, J. G. 
Sallis, Domatio Strausser, A. Wingate, J. J. 
Sheppard, W. D. Sweet, H. M. Wingate, J. W. 
Shackelford, A. W. Walker, G. A. Wingate, N. M. 
Smith, C. W. Wasson, C. R. Wilds, Phineas. 


An attempt was made to reorganize the Jacksonville 
Light Infantry on July 30, 1875, and again on July 12, 1877, 
but not a great deal of enthusiasm was manifested in either 
of these attempts. The mill riot of June, 1880, induced the 
reorganization of the company, which was accomplished Sep- 
tember 20, 1880, with an aggregate strength of 60 men. At 
this time W. B. Young was elected captain; A. W. Owens, 
1st lieutenant; Charles Stewart, 2d lieutenant. The company 
was armed with improved Springfield rifles. The uniforms 
were U. S. regulation, with coat cut somewhat longer and 
three rows of buttons. The fatigue uniform was regulation 
pattern, with grey pants.¢ 

The Jacksonville Light Infantry volunteered for service 
in the Spanish-American war and was accepted. It left 
Jacksonville for Tampa, May 12, 1898, in command of John 
S. Maxwell, captain; Braxton B. McDonnell, Ist lieutenant ; 
G. R. Weldon, 2d lieutenant. Arriving at Tampa on the 13th, 
it pitched camp at Ft. Brooke, where it was mustered into 
the U.S. service as Company E, First Florida Infantry, May 
23, 1898, and on the 27th was transferred to Camp DeSoto. 
The company was not sent to Cuba, and on July 21, it en- 
trained for Fernandina, thence on August 23, for Huntsville, 
Ala. It remained at Huntsville until October 9, and then 
went to Tallahassee. Soon after arrival at Tallahassee, prac- 
tically the whole company was granted a 30-day leave and 
left for Jacksonville. On November 14, the men returned to 
Tallahassee and the company was mustered out there, De- 
cember 4, 1898.¢ 

The Jacksonville Light Infantry was a company of the 
First Separate Battalion that entered the World war in 1917 
and afterward sent to Camp Wheeler, where it was disbanded 
and its members assigned to other commands. Most of them 
saw service oversea.¢ 

The company was not reorganized after the World war. 
So passed out of existence the historic command that had 
served its State in three wars. Several meetings of the “Old 


462 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Guard” were held in the summer of 1923, for the purpose of 
reorganizing the company, to be made up of descendants of 
former members, but it was not perfected at that time. 
Jacksonville would be glad to see the Jacksonville Light In- 
fantry reorganized under its old name, and the perpetuation 
of its long and honorable record. 


*The figure in bronze standing guard on top of the monu- 
ment in Hemming Park, represents a soldier in the uniform of 
the Southern Confederacy. He wears no insignia or device 
that can be detected from the sidewalk; but there is one, on 
his cap above the visor—the letters “J. L. I.” 


Captains of the Jacksonville Light Infantry since 1880: 
W. B. Young, September, 1880 to August, 1884 (commis- 
sioned major); R. M. Call, August, 1884 to February, 1889 
(promoted to major); A. W. Cockrell, Jr., February, 1889 
(elected but declined); C. W. Stansell, February to July, 
1889; J. L. Doggett, August, 1889 to 1891; S. C. Boylston, 
Jr., July, 1891 to June, 1894; W. J. Driscoll, June, 1894 to 
May, 1897; J. S. Maxwell, May, 1897 to May, 1899 (promoted 
to major); A. G. Hartridge, August, 1899 to November, 
1902; C. W. Tucker, November, 1902 to April, 19038; J. Y. 
Wilson, April, 1903 to July, 1905; H. R. Payne, August, 1905 
to January, 1906; Cromwell Gibbons, February, 1906 to Jan- 
uary, 1908 (promoted to major); M. C. Greeley, February, 
1908 to January, 1909; G. R. Weldon, May, 1909 to December, 
1911; A. W. Ellis, December, 1911 to 1917. 


St. Johns Grays 


July 18, 1861, ten companies were mustered into the Con- 
federate service at their rendezvous near Jacksonville, to 
form the Second Florida Infantry. Among these was Com- 
pany G, St. Johns Grays, organized by J. J. Daniel, the roster 
of which includes the names of many Jacksonville and Duval 
County men. Two days after the muster the regiment left 
by rail for Virginia. Its first battle was at the siege of York- 
town, and then at Williamsburg. After one year’s service, 
the regiment was reorganized, on May 10, 1862. Captain 
Daniel resigned at this time and returned to Florida to be- 
come Colonel of First Florida Reserves.¢ 

After reorganization, the regiment fought in the battles 
of Seven Pines, where it suffered a severe loss in officers and 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 463 


men, Cold Harbor, Gaines’ Mills, Frazier’s Farm, and Mal- 
vern Hill; it was in the Maryland campaign, fought at Fred- 
ericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg, and in the last 
battles of the war in Virginia. The skeleton of the splendid 
regiment surrendered at Appomatox—7 officers and 59 men.? 


Roster of the St. Johns Grays? 


Captains 


J.J. Daniel: Retired at reorganization, 1862. 
Charles F. Flagg: Elected captain at reorganization; killed at 


Seven Pines. 


Thomas M. Brown: Killed in battle, June, 1862. 
C. Seton Fleming: Killed at Cold Harbor, 1864. 


Lieutenants 


Thomas M. Brown (promoted to captain), C. Seton Fleming (promoted 
to captain), M. A. Jones, A. J. Russell, A. J. Mickler (died in hospital), 
Matthew A. Knight, Clayborne L. Wright. 


Abyr, Thomas 
Ashurst, R. J. 
Bachlor, C. H. 
Beardon, M. J. 
Beardon, S. R. 
Beaty, John 
Berant, Miles 
Booth, W. J. 
Bowden, Charles 
Bowden, Uriah 
Brantley, J. A. 
Brantley, W. T. 
Brooman, G. R. 
Brown, A. W. 
Brown, G. R. 
Brown, M. J. 
Brown, S. W. 
Broxson, H. W. 
Bryan, W. P. 
Callahan, Wm. 
Canova, G. P. 
Carr, Allen 
Carr, D. L. 
Carr, J. W. 


Caruthers, W. R. 


Cason, J. B. 
Caston, Stockley 


Enlisted Men 


Corbyn, Roland 
Daniel, W. A. 
Davis, Charles 
Doyle, D. W. 
Duval, W. E. 
Edmonds, Richard 
Farley, Matthew 
Farrell, John 
Farrell, J. C. 
Ferguson, T. H. 
Ferguson, J. J. 
Fernandez, E. A. 
Flynn, W. H. 
Flynn, J. M. 
Fripp, A. D. 
Gardner, Charles 
Goston, S. 
Griffith, Samuel 
Hardin, Wm. 
Harris, A. J. 
Harris, Hugh 
Harris, A. Jackson 
Higginbotham, Aaron’ 
Hogarth, R. S. 
Hurlburt, D. S. 
Johnson, James 
Johnson, C. W. 


Jordan, M. C. 
Kennedy, James 
L’Engle, E. M. 
L’Engle, J. C. 
Lawrence, Alex. 
Leary, J. W. 
Lee, John 
Livingston, W. E. 
Long, H. V. 
Long, David 
Lumpkin, J. T. 
McCann, Frank 
McClelland, Hiram 
McClelland, Robt. 
McMullen, Henry 
Masters, Bartolo 
Mickler, G. C. 
Mickler, Jacob 
Mixon, David 
Nichols, Newman 
Parr, Henry 
Pendarvis, G. A. 
Raker, David 
Register, James 
Reny, D. 

Revel, John 
Richardson, Wm. 


464 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Robarts, Edgar Swan, D. Turney, W. T. 
Robarts, James Syms, Robt. Urwich, Barnett 
Sapp, J. J. Syms, John Williams, Peter 
Small, James Taitt, Robt. Wilson, R. R. 
Smith, Wm. Turner, B. H. Wilson, H. C. 
Solayre, Antonio Turney, Thos. Wright, T. O. 


Stewart, J. F. 


Duval County Cow Boys 


The Duval County Cow Boys was organized and mustered 
in the Third Florida Regiment as Company F. At first it was 
stationed at St. Johns Bluff; it was withdrawn from that 
point at the same time as the Jacksonville Light Infantry 
from the mouth of the river, and after the regiment was 
brought together at Midway, the two companies fought to- 
gether in the battles already mentioned in the history of the 
Jacksonville Light Infantry. The roster of the Cow Boys 


follows :4 


Captains 


Lucius A. Hardee: Resigned at reorganization, May, 1862. 
Albert Drysdale: Elected captain May, 1862. 


Lieutenants 


J. E. Mickler; J. C. King; W. H. Haddock; Elias Jaudon; H. B. Goode; 
Thomas Stratton; J. C. West; S. H. Wienges 


Allen, J. G. 
Allen, L. D. 
Bardin, James 
Beggs, C. P. 
Biggs, C. P. 
Bush, Clayton 
Bush, F. F. 
Bush, J. C. 
Cain, Dempsey 
Carter, Elijah 
Carter, Joseph 
Carter, L. H. 
Clark, Stephen 
Crews, Alexander 
Crews, H. J. 
Crews, S. D. 
Crow, S. H. 
Daniels, J. M. 
Davis, T. T. 


Enlisted Men 


Davis, W. J. 
Donald, J. M. 
Dowell, Wm. 
Edwards, J. W. 
Friar, John 
Gardner, James 
Garey, Love 
Garey, W. J. 
Garrett, A. C. 
Hammond, John 
Hanchey, D. A. 
Hansler, F. J. 
Harris, J. J. 
Harris, W. E. 
Harris, Z. T. 
Holmes, James 
Hopkins, J. 
Hopkins, H. 
Huffingham, James 


Hurlburt, Francis 
Jamison, P. M. 
Jones, W. L. 
Jordan, W. W. 
King, P. R. 
Linton, C. A. 
Livingston, Joseph 
McDowell, G. W. 
Morgan, R. S. 
Morris, J. S. 
O’Neal, W. C. 
O’steen, Theo. 
Padgett, Martin 
Padgett, Stephen 
Pigg, J. W. 
Quarterman, R. T. 
Quarterman, W. G. M. 
Rainer, J. J. 
Rainer, Wm. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 465 


Richard, F. M. Suarez, Rapheal Walmsby, T. M. 
Richardson, Edmund Sweat, H. M. Ward, Henry 
Richardson, John Thomas, Solomon Ward, John 
Roberts, F. M. Thompson, Allen Warren, Thomas 
Roberts, M. Thompson, I. L. West, Robert 
Roberts, R. Z. Thompson, J. L. Weeks, L. R. 
Roberts, T. W. Thompson, W. F. Wiles, S. B. 
Sams, F. W. Townsend, B. F. Williamson, Ivy 
Sparkman, Wm. Thymme, Bernard Wingate, R. W. 
Stansell, N. W. Unges, Samuel Withington, J. A. 
Stratton, Samuel Walker, Wm. 


Wilson’s Battery 


The First Florida Light Artillery was organized in Jack- 
sonville July 17, 1877, with the following officers: Captain, 
George C. Wilson; first lieutenant, Franklin Jordan; second 
lieutenant, Theodore Ball; first sergeant, H. Ernest Murphy ; 
second sergeant, Henry A. L’Engle; ordnance sergeant, W. 
A. Gilbert; first corporal, Byron E. Oak; second corporal, 
George R. Reynolds; secretary, Arthur T. Williams; treas- 
urer, Bion H. Barnett; surgeon, C. J. Kenworthy, M.D. The 
company was organized with 30 enlisted men, but the roster 
was soon increased to fifty-five.¢ 

On July 4, 1878, the battery was presented with a hand- 
some silk flag made by the ladies of Jacksonville. The cere- 
mony of presentation took place in front of the Windsor 
hotel, in the presence of a throng of people. Major A. J. Rus- 
sell presented the flag and in his speech drew attention to the 
fact that among the members were those who represented 
the gray and others the blue in the late conflict. The battery 
was well maintained, being armed with sabres and side arms 
and two 12-pounder brass pieces, with suitable harness, cais- 
sons, etc. Their uniforms were light gray; afterward the 
artillery uniform of the regular army was adopted. In 1884 
it possessed the latest improved five-barrel, 45 calibre Gat- 
ling gun.¢ 

On April 1, 1884, the name was changed by unanimous 
vote to Wilson’s Battery in honor of its commander, and ever 
afterward through the various reorganizations of State 
troops, though given an official letter designation and later 
called First Battery, Field Artillery, F.S. T., it was known to 
Jacksonville as ‘“Wilson’s Battery”. Its guns spoke the wel- 
come in all local celebrations and the booming of “Old Betsy” 


466 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


was frequently mentioned in the newspapers of the time. 
The battery answered the call for thirty years, in riot, epi- 
demic and fire. It offered its services to the Government for 
the Spanish-American war, but it was not fortunate enough 
to be called with the first quota and its services were never 
required. 

A feud broke out at Baxter, Baker County, in September, 
1904. Wilson’s Battery was sent there to arrest the ring- 
leaders and it awed them into surrendering, for as one of 
them said: “I looked down the muzzle of a 38 revolver once 
and saw a hearse and four hacks; if I looked down one of 
them Gatlings I s’pose I’d see a whole cemetery full of dead 
men’’, ‘l'wenty of the feudalists were brought to Jackson- 
ville and it was a sight to remember when they were marched 
up Bay Street from the depot under guard, headed by a bat- 
tery of two Gatling guns.¢ 

Wilson’s Battery was an organization unique in the his- 
tory of the city and the first of its kind in Florida. A great 
deal of sentiment ciustered around this command; looking 
backward upon its career, the members of the old company 
point with pride to the position it held in the community. 
Wilson’s Battery, then officially known as First Battery, Field 
Artillery, F. S. T., was disbanded March 24, 1906.¢ 

Captains of the battery :¢ George C. Wilson, July, 1877, to 
1886; W. D. Barnett, 1886 to 1888 (promoted to major) ; 
G. R. Reynolds, 1889-90; M. P. Turner, October, 1890, to June, 
1893 (promoted to major); George Emery, June, 1893, to 
March, 1894; Jacob Gumbinger, March, 1894, to August, 
1899 (promoted to major of artillery) ; C. B. Duffy, August, 
1899, to December, 1903; L. C. Moore, December, 1903, to 
February, 1904; W. J. Driscoll, June, 1904, to March, 1905; 
W. I. Lyman, September, 1905, to March, 1906. 


Metropolitan Light Infantry 


The Metropolitan Light Infantry was organized in April, 
1883, with the following officers: Captain, O. J. Leite; first 
lieutenant, M. W. King; second lieutenant, George R. Foster. 
At organization there were 30 enlisted men. The uniforms 
of the company were blue sack coats and blue pants of a 
lighter shade with black side-stripe. It was armed with 
Springfield rifles.¢ 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 467 


The history of the Metropolitan Light Infantry is inter- 
spersed with periods of lulls and fresh outbursts of enthus- 
iasm among its members. Internal troubles produced rather 
a checkered career for the company. It did not re-enlist under 
the State military law of 1890, but was not officially dis- 
banded and continued to exist, though in a badly disorgan- 
ized state. It was reorganized after the law of 1891 was 
passed, requiring all military organizations to enlist or dis- 
band, but in the course of time the old troubles reappeared, 
and finally came to a climax on August 14, 1895, when all of 
the officers resigned. J.S. Maxwell, second lieutenant of the 
Jacksonville Light Infantry, was assigned by Major Turner 
to the temporary command of the M. L. I., and he was theo- 
retically in command of the company until it was reorganized 
September 4, 1895, as the Jacksonville Rifles.¢ 


Members of the Metropolitan Light Infantry possessed a 
fund of interesting and amusing anecdotes of instances in 
its history. They discussed the happenings during the en- 
campment at Pablo Beach in the Murray Hall days of 1886. 
With a twinkle in the eye they told of a momentous occasion 
when, spick and span in their white duck pants, they were 
ordered on dress parade and given the command to kneel 
and fire upon a dirty field; and further, as they executed that 
order, about the ripping sound akin to the parting of seams. 
And many other occasions of fun and frolic during the com- 
pany’s career. But history also points out that whenever 
emergency called them they were there, and for that reason 
the people of Jacksonville always had a kindly feeling for this 
company and viewed with regret the troubles that beset it 
from time to time. 

The company changed its uniform several times. The 
most striking was the bottle-green uniform of 1889-90, mili- 
tia days when a company could choose its own uniform. For 
the officers the coat was cut frock-style, three rows of brass 
buttons, with gold epaulets and trimmings; gold pants-stripe, 
and a helmet decorated with a flowing white plume. En- 
listed men wore the same bottle-green; but their coats were 
cut “swallow-tail’”, silver decorations instead of gold, and 
plumes of green instead of white./ 

O. J. Leite was the first captain of the M. L. I. He was 
succeeded in 1884 by W. J. L’Engle, and Captain L’Engle by 
F. P. Fleming in 1885. Captain Fleming resigned in July, 


468 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


1888, being engaged in a campaign for Governor; J. B. 
Morello was elected to fill the vacancy. J. E. McGinnis was 
captain in 1889 and the forepart of 1890. Failing to enlist 
under the law of 1890, the company was without a commis- 
sioned captain until it was reorganized under the law of 1891, 
when L. H. Mattair was commissioned captain; he com- 
manded the company until August, 1895. 


Jacksonville Rifles 


The Jacksonville Rifles was a direct reorganization of the 
Metropolitan Light Infantry. This reorganization took place 
on September 4, 1895, with a new constitution and new by- 
laws, under the name Jacksonville Rifles. On September 18, 
1895, the Rifles elected its first officers, namely, Wm. LeFils, 
captain; A. G. Hartridge, first lieutenant.¢ 

The company immediately took on new life and ever af- 
terward was an important factor in the military life of the 
State. It was reorganized April 25, 1898, with 77 men, for 
service in the Spanish-American war and soon recruited to 
full war strength. Under the command of J. Y. Wilson, cap- 
tain; C. H. Chesnut and J. H. Stephens, first lieutenants, and 
T. C. Watts, second lieutenant, the company entrained for 
Fort Brooke (Tampa) May 12, 1898, and was there mustered 
into the United States service May 27. It was then trans- 
ferred to camp at Palmetto Beach. The company was not 
sent to Cuba. On July 21 it entrained for Fernandina and 
remained there a month, going thence to Huntsville, Ala. It 
was mustered out of the U.S. service at Huntsville January 
27, 1899. Returning to Jacksonville, the Rifles resumed its 
former designation in the Florida State troops. Soon after- 
ward its letter designation was changed from C. to F., as the 
latter was its war designation and it wished to retain it. 

In the following years the company kept very well re- 
cruited and came to be one of the prize military companies 
of the State, and one of the most feared in competitive drills 
at State encampments. However, it felt the lack of interest 
that beset the other military organizations preceding the 
World war, though it was successful in recruiting to full 
strength as required by the National Defense Act of 1916, 
and was preserved as a full company of the First Separate 
Battalion. This battalion formed the central unit about 
which was buiit the Florida regiment that was sent to Camp 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 469 


Wheeler and was there broken up to become amalgamated 
with other commands. 

Captains of the Rifles: Wm. LeFils, September, 1895 to 
April, 1898; James Y. Wilson, April, 1898 to March, 1899; 
T. C. Watts, April, 1899 to March, 1901; Wm. LeF ils, April, 
1901 to March, 1906; F. G. Yerkes, March to October, 1906; 
W. D. Vinzant, Jr., November-December, 1906; George J. 
Garcia, June, 1907 to 1917. 


Metropolitan Grays 


This company was organized at a meeting August 3, 
1905, when an application for muster into the State Troops 
was drawn up and signed by 32 men. On September 4, 1905, 
the company was mustered in as Co. D, First Regiment, F. 8. 
T., Geo. L. Dancy, captain; S. C. Harrison, Jr., first lieutenant. 

The “Grays” was brought to a high state of military per- 
fection in the first years of its existence and won a number 
of prizes and two State penants for efficiency; but like the 
other companies of the old First Florida Regiment, it ab- 
sorbed some of the feeling that disrupted the Regiment prior 
to the World war. It did not recruit to full strength as re- 
quired by the Defense Act of 1916, but it was saved by unit- 
ing with a platoon of the St. Augustine company. In this 
way the company became a unit of the First Separate Bat- 
talion that went to Camp Wheeler during the World war. 

Captains:s G. L. Dancy, September, 1905 to January, 
1906; S. C. Harrison, Jr., March, 1906 to June, 1910 (pro- 
moted to major) ; Reuben Ragland, June, 1910 to December, 
1911; G. R. Seavy (assigned temporarily); A. E. Barrs, 
April, 1912 to April, 1918; C. B. Duffy, August, 19138 to 
March, 1914; W. M. McCrory, April to December, 1914; A. Y. 
Milam, January, 1915 to January, 1916; G. R. Seavy, 1916 to 
World war. 


Dixie Guards 


The company was organized June 19, 1908, and mustered 
into the State service as Company B, First Regiment, F.S. T., 
July 3, 1908, with a roster of 62 men. Its first officers were: 
R. F. Metcalf, captain; W. E. Sweney, first lieutenant, and 
A. J. Bassett, second lieutenant. There was not room enough 
in the armory and the company occupied a room at No. 120 
W. Bay Street until December, 1914, when it moved to a 


470 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


building at Orange and Main Streets. The Dixie Guards was 
a well-drilled company and won several competitive prizes. 
It served on riot duty during the street car strike in Jack- 
sonville in 1912. The company was disbanded in November, 
1916, for failure to recruit to full war strength as required 
by the National Defense Act; some of the members then 
joined the other local companies. 

Captains:¢ R. F. Metcalf, July, 1908 to November, 1909; 
W. E. Sweney, November, 1909 to August, 1910; H. L. Cov- 
ington, October, 1910 to March, 1912; W. A. Daniel, May, 
1912 to March, 1914; H. R. Payne, April, 1914 to November, 
1916. 


Jacksonville Blues 


Jacksonville already had four infantry companies when 
this company was organized. To meet the requirements of 
the War Department that the First Regiment be increased to 
12 companies, the Blues was the first of the extra companies 
to organize. It was mustered in with 62 men on September 12, 
19138, as Co. E, First Regiment, N. G. F. The company was 
composed largely of young Hebrews of the city. Its history 
is short, as the company failed to recruit as required by the 
National Defense Act, and was disbanded in November, 1916, 
some of its members going to the other local companies in 
order to save them. 

Captains: Lewis Landes, September, 1913 to January, 
1914; G. R. Seavy (detailed), January to June, 1914; B. F. 
McGraw, June, 1914, to November, 1916. 


National Guard of Florida 


Prior to 1884, the military organizations of the State were 
detached, but in February of that year they were brought 
together in a battalion formation under the name First Flor- 
ida Battalion. An encampment was held at Magnolia Bluff, 
near Pensacola, in the summer of 1884, with Captain W. B. 
Young, of the Jacksonville Light Infantry, in command. 
Shortly afterward Captain Young was commissioned major 
of the battalion. 

June 8, 1887: A military law was passed by the legisla- 
ture creating the Florida State Troops, dividing them into 
three battalions. The Jacksonville companies were assigned 
to the First Battalion: Co. A, Jacksonville Light Infantry ; 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA AT71 


Co. B, Metropolitan Light Infantry; Co. F, Wilson’s Battery. 
The term of enlistment was three years. The first encamp- 
ment of Florida State Troops was at “Camp Pablo”, Pablo 
Beach, August 23-30, 1887. 

At the end of the three-year enlistment, in 1890, some of 
the companies of the First Battalion refused to re-enlist, 
among them Jacksonville Light Infantry and Metropolitan 
Light Infantry. These, however, though disorganized, were 
not officially disbanded and continued to exist under the old 
volunteer enlistment act. Wilson’s Battery re-enlisted in 
July, 1890. 

In 1891, another military law was passed, increasing the 
military companies of the State to twenty, divided into five 
battalions. Under this law all other military organizations 
in the State were required to disband. The First Battalion as 
thus created, comprised Co. A, Jacksonville Light Infantry ; 
Co. C, Metropolitan Light Infantry ; and Co. F, Wilson’s Bat- 
tery, and two companies of St. Augustine troops. 

In August, 1899, soon after the Spanish-American war, 
the Florida State troops were re-organized with two regi- 
ments of infantry and a battalion of artillery. The Jackson- 
ville infantry companies were assigned to the First Battalion, 
First Regiment, as Co. A, Jacksonville Light Infantry; Co. 
C, Jacksonville Rifles; two St. Augustine companies com- 
pleted the battalion. Wilson’s Battery became Co. A, Bat- 
talion of Light Artillery, Co. B being at Pensacola. The des- 
ignation of Jacksonville Rifles was soon afterward changed 
to Co. F, that being its official letter in the Spanish-American 
war, and it wished to retain it. 

May 18, 1903, a brigade was formed of the Florida State 
Troops and the State was divided into regimental and bat- 
talion military districts. 

The designation Florida State Troops was changed to 
National Guard of Florida June 7, 1909. 

The local battalion first appeared in olive-drab uniforms 
in November, 1909. 

The National Defense Act of June 3, 1916, required mili- 
tary companies to recruit to a minimum strength of 65 men. 
An earnest effort was made by the five local companies to 
meet these requirements, but without success, and in order to 
save some of them, it was decided to merge the personnel of 
the Dixie Guards (Co. B) and the Jacksonville Blues (Co. E) 


472 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


with the older companies. By this method the Jacksonville 
Light Infantry (Co. A), the Jacksonville Rifles (Co. F) and 
a platoon of the Grays (Co. D), were preserved. The other 
platoon of Co. D (Grays) was formed from Co. G of St. Au- 
gustine. These, with Co. H (Blountstown and Chipley), were 
retained as the First Separate Battalion. All the other com- 
panies of the old First Regiment were disbanded as of No- 
vember 29, 1916. Ten days after war was declared with 
Germany the First Separate Battalion was mobilized at State 
Camp at Black Point, where it became the nucleus for the 
formation of the Florida regiment that went to Camp 
Wheeler and was there broken up and its men assigned to 
other commands for the World war. 

After the World war the National Guard of Florida was 
re-formed, but more on the order of a Federal National 
Guard, supported largely by the Federal Government. Sev- 
eral local companies have grown out of this reorganization. 
Though they stand ready, as in times past, to protect the 
community in case of need, the lack of a local name somehow 
seems to take away the sentiment clustering around the old 
commands. The booming of ‘Betsy’, a gun of Wilson’s Bat- 
tery, as it spoke the greeting in some important event; the 
street parades of the J. L. I. and the M. L. L., the Rifles or the 
Grays; their battalion drills, and encampments, where fun 
and frolic crept in to ease the strain of discipline; their foot- 
ball games and baseball games, “cake-walks” and quadrilles; 
thought of them as they stood shoulder to shoulder in the 
serious times of riot and fire, and some of them in war—all 
lead the memory back to them under their local names, and 
not as Co. A or Co. B of such-and-such an infantry. 


Aid to Civil Authorities¢ 


1880, June 26-28: First Florida Light Artillery (Wilson’s 
Battery) held under orders; strikers’ riot at Clark’s mill; 
service not needed. 


1881, February: Jacksonville Light Infantry went to 
Madison to protect prisoners in jail there and remained on 
duty four days; then went to Tallahassee as a guard to the 
sheriff and his prisoners. 


1881, July: Jacksonville Light Infantry went to Fernan- 
dina to restore order—strikers’ (longshoremen’s) riot. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 478 


1888, August: Wilson’s Battery carried out the concus- 
sion tests during yellow fever epidemic at Jacksonville. 


1890, March 1-8: Jacksonville Light Infantry, Metropoli- 
tan Light Infantry and Wilson’s Battery on duty at Jackson- 
ville protecting prisoner. 


1892, July 4-9: Jacksonville Light Infantry, Metropolitan 
Light Infantry, Wilson’s Battery (and other State troops) on 
riot duty at Jacksonville. 


1894, January 23: Jacksonville Light Infantry, Metro- 
politan Light Infantry and Wilson’s Battery under orders to 
prevent Corbett-Mitchell prize-fight; no service, enjoined. 


1894, October 2: Jacksonville Light Infantry, Metropoli- 
tan Light Infantry and Wilson’s Battery; at Jacksonville; 
election troubles. 


1901, May 4-22: Jacksonville Light Infantry, Jackson- 
ville Rifies, Wilson’s Battery (and other State troops); at 
Jacksonville; fire duty. 


1904, September 16-17: Wilson’s Battery (and Live Oak 
company) arrested twenty prisoners at Baxter, Baker Coun- 
ty, and brought them to Jacksonville; Baker County feud. 


1904, September 26-28: Jacksonville Rifles took the pris- 
oners mentioned above to Macclenny ; guarded them through 
the trial; brought three prisoners back to Jacksonville. 


1908, April 11-20; Jacksonville Light Infantry and Jack- 
sonville Rifles (and other State troops) at Pensacola; street 
car strike. 


1912, October 30 to November 12: Jacksonville Light In- 
fantry, Jacksonville Rifles, Metropolitan Grays and Dixie 
Guards (together with seventeen outside companies—prac- 
tically the entire military force of the State) at Jacksonville; 
street car strike. 


Armories? 


Prior to 1897 the local military companies occupied dif- 
ferent halls in the city as armories. The serious situation 
developed by the riot in 1892, served to convince the County 


AT4 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Commissioners of the necessity of a permanent home for the 
local troops. The lot at the southwest corner of Adams and 
Market Streets was purchased, and after months of discus- 
sion and delay, construction began in October, 1896, and the 
local companies occupied the completed building July 30, 
1897. In style the armory was Romanesque with battlement 
cornices. It was 70x70 feet, 3 stories high, built of Georgia 
granite rock by T. S. Leonard for $24,000. The third floor 
was the infantry drill hall, 26 feet in the clear. On the sec- 
ond floor were club rooms and quarters. The ground floor 
was the drill hall of Wilson’s Battery, company rooms, maga- 
zine, and rooms for storage. Although supposed to be fire- 
proof, the armory crumbled like an eggshell in the fire of 
May 3, 1901. 

After the fire the former courthouse at the northeast 
corner of Forsyth and Market Streets, the walls of which re- 
mained intact, was reconstructed and turned over to the mili- 
tary for an armory. The building was not suitable for the 
purpose and became entirely inadequate later, when two of 
the local companies were compelled to find quarters else- 
where. Again the question of a larger and better armory 
for the local troops arose and again it went through a 
a lengthy discussion, ending finally in floating a bond issue 
for $150,000 in January, 1914. From these funds the present 
armory was built by F. W. Long & Co. It was completed and 
accepted by the County March 28, 1916; the troops moved 
in April 20, and it was formally opened with a public recep- 
tion May 2, 1916. The building is absolutely fireproof in 
every particular, well arranged and adequate, and a credit to 
the County. 


Bibliography, Chapter XXVI 
aEvening Times-Union, Jan. 6, 1896; bFrom diary of O. L. Keene, charter member ; 
cJohn L. Doggett; dSoldiers of Florida, official State publication; eRecord from local 
newspapers ; f/J. B. Morello; gHead dates are usually those of election by the company 
as noted in the local newspapers at the time; commissions followed later; hFlorida His- 
torical Society Quarterly, Jan., 1925. 


DUVAL COUNTY ARMORY. 





Courtesy of Geo. M. Chapin 


Built in 1897 at the southwest corner of Market and Adams Streets. 
Crumbled like an eggshell in the fire of May 38, 1901. 





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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 475 


CHAPTER XXVII 


LOCAL BANKING INSTITUTIONS 


(In the order of their organization) 


Before the War Between the States 


Bank of Jacksonville—Early in 1835, Wm. J. Mills of 
Jacksonville presented a petition to the Legislative Council 
praying the establishment of a bank at Jacksonville. The 
Bank of Jacksonville was authorized February 14, 1835; 
nominal capital, $75,000. Books were opened for subscrip- 
tion of stock, but it does not seem that the subscription was 
sufficient, for the Legislative Council, February 12, 1837, re- 
newed the authority for stock subscription. The bank 
opened in 1837, its condition soon afterward being reported 
as follows: 


Resources Liabilities 








PORVATIS Wu Uee Eley Ct gy $25,000 CADICAD NA ey OLNs Ulam ak $37,500 
Due by Banks .... 15,000 Circulation iow i% 7,000 
Notes of Banks ... 24,951 Deposits’ 03.0). sia. 31,471 
OE CIO ee ign. sure 11,550 Profit & Loss ..... 1,480 

$76,501 $77,401 


The officers at that time were J. B. Morgan, president, and 
J. Gutterson, cashier. The bank continued to do a small 
business until 1839, when it entirely “exploded” and its bills 
sold at 10 cents on the dollar. As to its failure, the St. Au- 
gustine Herald of April 4, 1839, had this to say: 


Another Morgan Abducted 


The Bank of Jacksonville is “fail”—the President flown. His dis- 
appearance, if not so exciting, is quite as mysterious as that of his New 
York namesake. Whether the “masonry” of the Bank still contains the 
$132 of specie capital, deponent saith not. To give honor where honor 
is due we must admit that the Jacksonville Bank made an honest state- 
ment to the Legislature before it failed. We never before knew a Bank 
exhibit so small a specie capital as $132 until after it failed. 


A Resolution was passed by the Territorial Council in 
February, 1841, to revoke the authority for the Bank of Jack- 
sonville to do business and directing its affairs closed. Here 


A476 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


developed an exceedingly interesting phase in connection 
with an attempt by “shinplaster” bankers to perpetrate a 
fraud under the name of fhe Bank of Jacksonville, exposed 
by the New York Herald in November, 1841, and re-printed 
in the St. Augustine News of December 8, 1841, in part as 
follows: 


We mentioned yesterday the revival of the old affair, the Bank of 
Jacksonville, East Florida. The parties engaged in the reorganization 
of it, it appears, are a confederation of red-dog bankers of this State 
(New York), and shinplaster bankers of Maine and Maryland. * * * The 
man at the “Sun” office had employed an individual named Kean to go 
down to Maine and look out for some small banks that would “answer 
for an operation”. While that agent was absent the Florida affair of- 
fered itself. He then bought up a few liabilities of the Bank and $2,000 
of the Southern Life and Trust certificates. Thus prepared he went 
back to start the Bank and the parties were advertised to redeem the 
circulation in Wall Street. The only object seems to be like that of all 
other such operations, to get up a meretricious reputation temporarily, 
until a sufficient quantity of the bills are got into circulation, and then 
allow it to explode. (Ibid.) A clique of currency doctors who move 
around the penny “Sun” here, purchased this Bank, galvanized its re- 
mains, had a new set of plates made in this City—and are now ready to 
throw $100,000 of this Florida money upon the builders, bakers, and 
mechanics of this city. For the present it is announced that the money 
will be redeemed at 114 per cent at the brokers’ offices, but who are the 
brokers? Is it the Sun office? This hopeful concern is said to have re- 
sumed specie payment. Specie payments in the swamps of Florida 
where Col. Worth is fighting the Indians! Who will go there to have 
the notes redeemed, when the brokers refuse them? Oh! Gullibility, 
how far will you go? 


From the St. Augustine Herald, December 24, 1841 (Cor- 
respondence from Jacksonville) : 


The people here are wide-awake as to the Jacksonville Bank. Ben- 
nett’s (N. Y.) Herald is taken here and has made the people fully aware 
of the whole scheme. 


Bank of Charleston Agency.—There is no record of a 
bank in Jacksonville after that of the Bank of Jacksonville 
until 1849, when an agency of the Bank of Charleston ap- 
pears under the management of A. M. Reed. The banking 
room was a small space boarded off in Mr. Reed’s store. This 
agency was in existence at least as late as 1856 and maybe 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA ATT 


until 1858, when the legislature passed a law affecting bank 
agencies of other States doing business in Florida. 


Bank of Jacksonville (No. 2).—With no record whatever 
of such a bank, there is yet one of its dollar bills in existence 
(in the possession of B. H. Barnett), signed by John Clark as 
president, and George Washington as cashier, and issued 
July 7, 1851. This bill is an interesting specimen of the en- 
gravers’ art as well as being the only known item in the 
bank’s history. 

*There is without doubt some interesting banking history 
connected with this one dollar bill. It was repeatedly stated in 

the old accounts of Jacksonville that the agency of the Bank 

of Charleston held the banking field here during its lifetime, 

yet this dollar bill of the Bank of Jacksonville is certainly evi- 

dence of some sort of banking institution by that name, either 

contemplated or actual, during that period. 


Bank of St. Johns (1858-1861).—This bank was organ- 
ized by A. M. Reed in 1858, possibly as a successor to the Bank 
of Charleston Agency. Little is known of its corporate his- 
tory, as it does not seem to have figured in any of the Legis- 
lative Acts of the period, although it was said to have been 
_ one of two banks in Florida at the end of 1860 doing business 
under the general banking laws of the State. The Bank of 
St. Johns went out of business upon the breaking out of the 
War Between the States and was not afterward revived. It 
held a considerable amount of bonds of the Florida, Atlantic 
& Gulf Central Railroad (the first railroad built to Jackson- 
ville), and after the war these were productive to a certain 
extent. Most of the foregoing is “memory” record of old 
citizens, who always said that the Bank of St. Johns was con- 
ducted in a capable way by Mr. Reed. 


After the War 


Freedmen’s Bank: Jacksonville branch (1866-1874).— 
The following is a copy of an advertisement in Hawks’ Jack- 
sonville Directory for 1870: 


478 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


NATIONAL FREEDMEN’S SAVINGS AND TRUST CO. 
Chartered by Congress 
Jacksonville Branch 

DEPOSITS RECEIVED from five cents upwards and INTEREST 
CREDITED three times a year at the rate of five per cent. 

Special rates allowed to business men and others who desire to de- 
posit on short time. 

All deposits subject to check on sight. 

Buy and sell exchange on New York and all prominent points West 
or South. 

Collections made at reasonable rates. 

Gold and silver bought and sold. 

W. L. COAN, Cashier. 
Banking rooms Hoeg’s Block, corner Ocean and Bay Streets. 


The bank failed in June, 1874; for its history see page 141. 


F. Dibble:—Small institution, established during “recon- 
struction” period. No record of it after 1870. 


Denny & Brown:—Another private banking institution, 
established during the “reconstruction” period, probably in 
1870. It failed in September, 1874. 


Ambler’s Bank (1870-1890).—In 1870, D. G. Ambler es- 
tablished a private banking house in Jacksonville. It was 
conducted along conservative lines and was successful from 
the start. Although only three years old when the money 
panic came, it passed through that trying time in safety, be- 
ing one of the very few banks in the South Alantic states 
that did not suspend payment. On July 23, 1874, the bank 
was reorganized and its name changed to the Ambler Na- 
tional Bank. In October, 1881, Mr. Ambler took two of his 
employees into partnership, John L. Marvin and J. N. C. 
Stockton; the name of the bank was then changed to Ambler, 
Marvin & Stockton. The business of the bank continued to 
grow and in October, 1883, a branch was established in Tam- 
pa, supervised by Mr. Marvin. In 1885, the National Bank 
of the State of Florida was established, with Mr. Ambler as 
president and Mr. Stockton as cashier, and it proved a suc- 
eessful undertaking. In 1890, the firm Ambler, Marvin & 
Stockton was dissolved: Mr. Marvin bought out the interest 
of his partners in the old firm and established the Merchants 
National of Jacksonville; Mr. Ambler and Mr. Stockton con- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 479 


tinued in control of the National Bank of the State of satiety 
as president and cashier, respectively. 


First. National Bank of Florida (1874-1903).—The First 
National Bank of Florida was organized June 27, 1874, and 
incorporated the same month. It opened September 26, 1874, 
with a capital of $50,000. This was the first National bank 
in East Florida. The bank was organized by J. M. Schu- 
macher; among the directors were F. E. Spinner, Secretary 
of the U.S. Treasury and father-in-law of Mr. Schumacher, 
and the Remingtons (gunmakers) of Ilion, N. Y. T. W. C. 
Moore was the bank’s first president; he died in 1879, and 
was succeeded by John Clark for several years, and he in 
turn by Mr. Schumacher. The bank first opened in the 
Freedmen’s Bank Building at Pine (Main) and Forsyth 
Streets, moving thence to the northwest corner of Ocean and 
Bay, then No. 6 West Bay, and finally to its own building at 
the northeast corner of Ocean and Bay Streets. In the last 
few years of its existence the bank became involved with 
phosphate investments that finally caused its downfall. It 
failed March 16, 1908. 


Florida Savings Bank and Real Estate Exchange (1874- 
1895).—This institution was incorporated July 6, 1874, by 
J. H. Paine and J. C. Greeley, with a capital of $20,000. The 
first officers were: J. H. Paine, president; Samuel Spearing, 
vice-president; J. C. Greeley, treasurer. In 1878, Dr. Paine 
sold out to Mr. Greeley and it was usually known thereafter 
as Greeley’s bank. This institution became involved in 1889, 
and was afterward operated by trustees. 


Barnett National Bank. of Jacksonville (1877 )—The 
Barnett National Bank was organized by W. B. Barnett & 
Sons, May 1, 1877, as the Barnett Bank. It opened in apart- 
ments in the Freedmen’s Bank Building at the southwest cor- 
ner of Pine (Main) and Forsyth Streets, with a capital of 
$40,000. Jacksonville at that time was a place of 7,500 peo- 
ple and there were already here two National and one private 
bank, but Mr. Barnett had confidence in the growth of the 
town and results verified his judgment. 





*On April 1, 1878, a sneak thief entered the Barnett bank 
and while the cashier’s back was turned took $7,500 and es- 
caped. It about cleaned the bank out of cash on hand. 


480 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


April 14, 1888, the name was changed under a National 
charter to National Bank of Jacksonville, and on April 14, 
1908, under a new charter, the name was changed to Bar- 
nett National Bank. For 47 years this bank has been in the 
control of the same family—a remarkable record within it- 
self. It is one of the oldest banks in Florida. Its present 
home, at the northwest corner of Forsyth and Laura Streets, 
was erected in 1898, at a cost of $30,000. The building is 
105x55 feet, with walls of solid masonry and Bedford sand- 
stone; the architecture reminds one of the design of the sub- 
treasuries of the United States. 


National Bank of the State of Florida (1885-1903).—This 
bank opened for business May 4, 1885, having been organized 
by D. G. Ambler and J. N. C. Stockton, of the firm of Ambler, 
Marvin & Stockton. The officers were: D. G. Ambler, presi- 
dent; J. J. Daniel, vice-president; J. N. C. Stockton, cashier. 
Mr. Stockton afterward became president. This bank was 
the nucleus for the formation of the Atlantic National Bank, 
the business of which was purchased by the latter, July 31, 
1903. 


State Bank of Florida (1885-1915).—Commenced busi- 
ness as a private bank in June, 1885, with Henry A. L’Engle 
as manager. This bank was reorganized as the State Bank 
of Florida, February 2, 1895, with a capital of $50,000, John 
C. L’Engle, president. The banking house was located at 
Bay and Main Streets. The business of the State Bank of 
Florida was bought by the Atlantic National Bank May 8, 
1915. 


Southern Savings and Trust Co. (1889-1905 ).—Organized 
May 30, 1889, by S. B. Hubbard and associates and opened for 
business in the Hubbard building at the southeast corner of 
Main and Forsyth Streets. The name was changed to Mer- 
cantile Exchange Bank January 8, 1900. The Florida Bank 
and Trust Company (Florida National Bank later) purchased 
the business of the Mercantile Exchange Bank January 4, 
1905. 


Merchants National Bank (1890-1897).—John L. Marvin 
bought out the interest of his partners in the firm of Ambler, 
Marvin & Stockton in 1890, and changed the name of the 
bank to Merchants National, which was chartered in June, 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA = 481 


1890. The Merchants National Bank closed its doors Febru- 
ary 16, 1897. 


Dime Savings Bank (1890-1893).—Incorporated January 
1, 1890, W. P. Webster, president; E. I. Robinson, vice-presi- 
dent. Mr. Webster later sold out to Mr. Robinson. The bank 
closed its doors August 21, 1893. 


Commercial Bank (1893-1915).—Organized and incor- 
porated May 9, 1893, as the Savings and Trust Bank of Flor- 
ida, with a capital of $50,000; H. Robinson, president; W. H. 
Harkisheimer, vice-president; Wm. Rawlinson, cashier. The 
name was changed to Commercial Bank in 1897. Control of 
the bank was gained by other parties February 17, 1911. 
Ownership afterward went into the hands of other officials. 
The bank failed December 30, 1914. 


Union Savings Bank (1902-1912).—Organized May 10, 
1902; J. M. Stevens, president; W. B. Stevens, cashier. This 
institution was consolidated with the People’s Bank and 
Trust Company July 3, 1912. 


Atlantic National Bank (1903 ).—Formally organ- 
ized April 30, 1903; National charter granted July 16, 1903. 
Opened for business August 1, 1908, in the banking rooms of 
the National Bank of the State of Florida, the business of 
which had been purchased the day before as a start. The 
capital at this time was $350,000 and the officers: E. W. Lane, 
president; F. W. Hoyt, vice-president ; T. P. Denham, cashier. 
On March 29, 1904, the Atlantic National Bank opened the 
first savings department established by a National bank in 
Florida. It absorbed the business of the Fourth National 
Bank on November 27, 1913; bought out the State Bank of 
Florida, which had deposits of $960,000, May 8, 1915; and on 
December 29, 1928, called in and absorbed the American 
Trust Company. The Atlantic National Bank erected the 
ten-story bank and office building, next to the post office, 
which was completed and occupied in October, 1910. The 
annex in the Professional building on Adams Street was 
opened by the bank January 19, 1920. 


Florida National Bank (1905———).—Incorporated origin- 
ally in December, 1904, as the Florida Bank and Trust Com- 
pany, and opened January 5, 1905, in the banking rooms of 
the Mercantile Exchange Bank, at the northeast corner of 





482 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Forsyth and Laura Streets, the business of which, with $1,- 
313,900 deposits, had been purchased the day before as a 
start. The capital of the Florida Bank and Trust Company 
was $1,000,000 and its officers, W. F. Coachman, president ; 
W.S. Jennings and Arthur F. Perry, vice-presidents; W. A. 
Redding, cashier. The next step was the building of its own 
white marble home at the northeast corner of Forsyth and 
Laura Streets, which was occupied August 9, 1906, and on 
the same day the bank began to operate under its National 
charter and a change of name to Florida National Bank, with 
a capital of $500,000. The officers at that time were: C. E. 
Garner, president, Arthur F. Perry and C. B. Rogers, vice- 
presidents; W. A. Redding, cashier. In January, 1913, Cap- 
tain Garner retired on account of ill-health and was suc- 
ceeded as president by A. F. Perry. Enlargements were 
eventually made to the original banking house; and in 1919, 
the bank purchased the eleven-story Florida Life Building 
immediately in the rear of the bank, re-arranged the lower 
part, and moved some of its departments there. 


Guaranty Trust and Savings Bank (1905-21, 1922).— 
Organized March 14, 1905, as the Guarantee Trust and Sav- 
ings Bank, with a capital of $100,000; J. W. Spratt, president; 
W. M. Bostwick, Jr., vice-president; Harlow Barnett, secre- 
tary-treasurer. The name was soon afterward changed to 
Guaranty Trust and Savings Bank; there were also a number 
of changes from time to time in both officers and directors. 
The bank closed September 6, 1921, and was placed in the 
hands ofareceiver. Itreopened under a depositors’ agreement 
June 26, 1922, and remained open until July 15, 1922, when 
its liquid assets and active business were transferred to the 
U.S. Trust Company. 


Citizens Bank (1905 ).—Organized November 30, 
1905; and opened for business December 4, 1905, at the north- 
east corner of Bridge (Broad) and Bay Streets, with a capi- 
tal of $50,000. Charter officers: D. U. Fletcher, president; 
D. H. Doig and C. H. Mann, vice-presidents ; J. Denham Bird, 
cashier. Mr. Fletcher was succeeded by C. H. Mann as presi- 
dent of the bank January 12, 1909. Mr. Mann became chair- 
man of the board and was succeeded as president by C. H. 
Chesnut January 14,1920. The Citizens Bank moved into its 
own home at No. 11-13 Broad Street on April 1, 1914. 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 483 


Peoples Bank (1906———).—Organized January 13, 1906, 
as the Peoples Bank and Trust Company and opened for 
business in the Board of Trade building at the northeast cor- 
ner of Main and Adams Streets January 15, 1906; capital 
$100,000. First officers: Arthur T. Williams, president; 
L. J. Campbell and P. A. Holt, vice-presidents; H. D. Watts, 
secretary and cashier. The Peoples Bank and Trust Com- 
pany and the Union Savings Bank were merged July 3, 1912, 
and began business at the location of the former July 5, 1912, 
as the Peoples Bank of Jacksonville, E. A. Groover, president ; 
T. S. Roberts, vice-president; M. V. Osborne, cashier. Au- 
gust 5, 1914, A. P. Anthony and associates bought the bank; 
reorganized it ; dropped the trust feature, and placed the bank 
upon strictly a banking basis. 


American Exchange Bank (1908).—Opened for business 
at Main and Duval Streets May 1, 1908; capital $50,000. The 
bank was closed 18 days later as being insolvent. The officers 
and stockholders were non-residents. 


Fourth National Bank (1910-1913).—Opened January 10, 
1910, in the Dyal-Upchurch Building, Main and Bay Streets. 
The officers were: W. C. Powell, president; J. H. Powell, vice- 
president; E. D. Walter, cashier. The Fourth National was 
absorbed by the Atlantic National Bank November 27, 1913. 


Florida Trust Company (1910-1913).—Opened October 
18, 1910, at the southeast corner of Forsyth and Hogan 
Streets, with an advertised capital of $600,000. C.H. Barnes, 
president; O. H. L. Wernicke, M. M. Smith, J. E. Stillman, 
Kk}. G. Phinney, vice-presidents; L. B. C. Delaney, secretary- 
treasurer. The officers and directors of the Company after- 
ward changed. This institution closed March 19, 1913, and 
was placed in the hands of a receiver. 


U.S. Postal Savings Bank (1911——-).—The Jacksonville 
branch was opened August 28, 1911. 


Heard National Bank (1912-1917).—Organized with a 
capital of $1,000,000 and opened for business February 3, 
1912, in temporary quarters, pending completion of the Heard 
Building at the southwest corner of Forsyth and Laura 
Streets, to which it moved in April, 1913. Officers: J. J. 
Heard, president; W. B. Sadler and J. G. Boyd, vice-presi- 
dents; C. W. Hendley, cashier. It was one of the largest 


484 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


banking institutions in the State at the time. With de- 
posits of $3,020,500 and $1,040,000 cash on hand and due 
from other banks, the Heard National was closed January 
16, 1917, by its president, who indicated in a public statement 
that the bank was positively solvent and that the closing was 
unnecessarily forced. The receiver of the bank paid the last 
dividend on September 24, 1920, and with it the depositors 
had received 100% on the dollar—a circumstance unique in 
the history of banking in the United States and more so when 
an interest dividend was later paid to the depositors. 


Germania Bank (1912-1915).—Organized April 13, 1912, 
this institution opened for business April 15, 1912, at the 
corner of Davis and Union Streets, with a capital of $50,000, 
and officered as follows: Bainbridge Richardson, president; 
F. W. Wienbarg and J. H. Patterson, vice-presidents ; J. Den- 
ham Bird, cashier. The Germania Bank was consolidated 
with the First Savings Bank May 22, 1915, as First Germania 
Bank. 


First Savings Bank (1912-1915).—Opened July 1, 1912, 
at No. 34 West Forsyth Street; capital, $30,000. It was a 
savings bank exclusively and did not do a general banking 
business. The officers were: D. J. Herrin, president; C. H. 
Andress, cashier. This bank was consolidated with the Ger- 
mania Bank May 22, 1915, as First Germania Bank. 


Bank of South Jacksonville (1912———) .—Organized July 
18, 1912, and opened for business July 24, 1912; capital, $25,- 
000; officers, Harry Mason, president; H. B. Philips and 
Marcus Conant, vice-presidents; Harry Botts, cashier. 


United States Trust and Savings Bank (1913-1923).— 
Opened January 2, 1913, at the southeast corner of Laura 
and Forsyth Streets, with a capital of $50,000. Officers: J. J. 
Logan, president ; Walter Mucklow, cashier and trust officer. 
There was a reorganization five years later and the name 
changed to U. S. Trust Company. It absorbed the active 
business and liquid assets of the Guaranty Trust and Sav- 
ings Bank July 15, 1922. The U.S. Trust Company closed 
its doors August 7, 1923. 


American Trust Company (1913-1923).—Organized Feb- 
ruary 9, 1918, and opened February 26, 1913, in the Florida 
Life Building; capital, $200,000; officers, F. W. Hoyt, presi- 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 485 


dent; J. H. Powell, vice-president; Arthur T. Williams, sec- 
retary; W. O. Boozer, treasurer. The banking rooms were 
later removed to the Dyal-Upchurch Building, Main and Bay 
Streets. The American Trust Company was organized with 
stock control held by directors of the Atlantic National Bank, 
and on December 29, 1923, was merged with that institution. 


Exchange Bank and Trust Company (1914-1915).— 
Opened at the southwest corner of Adams and Laura Streets 
January 8, 1914; capital, $200,000; officers, W. H. Milton, 
president; C. R. Allen and J. A. McLauren, vice-presidents : 
D. A. Simmons, secretary. This institution went into volun- 
tary liquidation December 20, 1915, on account of existing 
business conditions, it being the period through which Jack- 
sonville fought a hard struggle. 


First Germania Bank (1915-1917).—Formed by the con- 
solidation of the First Savings Bank and the Germania 
Bank, May 22, 1915; D. J. Herrin, president; C. H. Andress, 
cashier. This institution closed its doors January 17, 1917. 


Morris Plan Bank of Jacksonville (1917 ).—Opened 
for business June 5, 1917, at No. 113 W. Duval Street. Char- 
ter officers: C. P. Kendall, president; A. G. Cummer and F. C. 
Groover, vice-presidents; A. C. Martin, manager. 


Federal Reserve Bank, Jacksonville Branch (1918 ys 
—Jacksonville was designated for a branch of the Federal 
Reserve Bank May 31, 1918. The local branch was opened 
August 5, 1918, on the third floor of the Atlantic National 
Bank Building; George R. DeSaussure, manager. It was 
later moved to the former banking rooms of the Heard Na- 
tional Bank, and remained there until removal to its own 
building at the southwest corner of Hogan and Church 
Streets, where it formally opened June 13, 1924. 


First State Bank of Pablo (1921 ).—Opened for busi- 
ness June 23, 1921: L. A. Usina, president; L. C. Sharp and 
H. C. Smith, vice-presidents; A. F. Piet, cashier. 


Brotherhood State Bank for Savings (1924——).— 
Opened for business August 2, 1924, at the northeast corner 
of Bay and Ocean Streets, with a capital of $25,000. 











Bibliography, Chapter XX VII 
Practically all of the data in this brief history of Jacksonville’s banking institu- 
tions are taken from the files of the local newspapers of the time, except where other- 
wise indicated in the text. 


486 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XXVIII 


HOTEL HISTORY 
Buffington House 


It was not until late in the 1840’s that Jacksonville could 
boast of a regular hotel. Oliver Wood built a hotel at the 
southwest corner of Adams and Newnan Streets, facing New- 
nan. It was called Wood’s Hotel. Mr. Wood conducted it 
several years and then sold the property to Samuel Buffing- 
ton, who changed its name to the Buffington House. This 
was about 1851. The new owner built additions and made 
improvements until it became a house of nearly a hundred 
rooms. It was a fashionable hotel and many prominent local 
people lived there. The Buffington House was burned in 
1859, and was not rebuilt.¢ 


There were two other hotels in Jacksonville as early as 
1852, the Crespo House at the southeast corner of Adams and 
Ocean Streets, and the Coy House occupying the site of the 
old block house at the northeast corner of Monroe and Ocean 
Streets. These were much smaller than the Buffington, but 
they were classed as hotels then. The Crespo burned and 
was rebuilt.¢ 


Judson House 


In 18538, A. Judson Day, of Maine, came here and decided 
to erect a first-class hotel. He bought the west half of the 
block between Hogan and Julia Streets from Forsyth Street 
to the river from J. P. Sanderson for $3,000. Bringing me- 
chanics and builders down from Maine, he gave the contract 
for lumber to a local mill and set to work building the hotel. 
It was completed and opened in November, 1854. The Judson 
House, as it was named, was a three and a half story wooden 
building fronting 136 feet on Bay Street and extending back 
the same distance on Julia. There were 110 guest rooms, 
spacious parlors, and a dining room 80 feet in length. Broad 
piazzas were along the front of the first and second stories. 
The hotel complete and ready for business cost $125,000. It 
was burned March 11, 1862, by a mob of men whose identity 
never became known.? 


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HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 487 


St. Johns House 


With the destruction of the Judson House, Jacksonville 
was again without a regular hotel until at the close of the 
war in 1865, Mrs. E. Hudnall built a two and a half story 
wooden structure on the north sideof ForsythStreet between 
Pine (Main) and Laura Streets. She named it the St. Johns 
House. This hotel had 40 guest rooms and a broad piazza 
along the front. The army officers stationed here made it 
their headquarters and this fact surrounded the place with 
a military air.¢ Politicians congregated there, too, and doubt- 
less within its walls many of the political schemes of that day 
were hatched. This hotel was burned May 3, 1901, and was 
not rebuilt. 


St. James Hotel 


Capitalists from Boston and Pomphret, Conn., after look- 
ing the situation over here came to the conclusion that a 
large tourist hotel in Jacksonville would be a paying invest- 
ment. They bought the two lots on the west side of Laura 
Street between Duval and Church Streets, paying $900 each 
for them. Here they decided to build a hotel costing $30,000. 
The building was completed and opened to the public January 
1, 1869. This was a wooden building three full stories and a 
fourth under a French roof. There were 120 guest 
rooms. Hot and cold baths were provided—an innovation in 
that day; there were bowling alleys and a billiard room for 
the amusement of the guests. This building fronted 105 feet 
on Duval Street and extended along Laura 150 feet; in the 
rear fronting Church Street were the gardens. 

The St. James Hotel as finally completed was built in 
three units. In 1872 a brick addition three stories high was 
built toward Hogan Street, and in 1881 another wooden addi- 
tion four stories high was completed and the brick part in 
the center carried up another story, so that now the whole 
was four stories and extended from Laura to Hogan Streets 
and had accommodations for 500 guests. The French roof 
on the original unit was removed. Wide promenades stretched 
along the entire front and a part of the sides of the first and 
second stories. During its lifetime, 1869-1901, the manage- 
ment of the St. James never changed, being continuously 
under the supervision of J. R. Campbell.¢ The whole struc- 


488 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


ture was destroyed in the fire of May 3, 1901, and was not 
rebuilt. Cohen’s store now occupies the site. 

The St. James grew to be the most famous hotel in the 
South and for a long time was the mecca of the wealthy 
tourist in Florida. Its fame was international; its registers 
carried the names of the prominent people of the time from 
the President of the United States down, with a sprinkling 
of dukes, counts and lesser dignitaries of Europe. Although 
a winter hotel, Jacksonville looked upon it as her own; here 
local society danced with famous personages from every- 
where at the Saturday night hops; danced the schottische, 
the polka, the true waltz and the reels—those beautiful, 
graceful dances that like the St. James itself appear now to 
be a part of the past. 


The Everett? 


In 1873 the Grand National was built on the site of the 
old Judson House at the northeast corner of Bay and Julia 
Streets. When completed it was described as a mammoth 
pile of brick surmounted by a grand central clock tower from 
which a view far and wide could be obtained. The hotel con- 
tained 150 guest rooms. In front of it, across Bay Street, 
was an attractive park extending to the river. The hotel did 
not prove a financial success and was allowed to run down 
until the failure of its proprietor resulted in its being closed 
for the period 1879-81, during which time it was seriously 
damaged by fire and became almost a wreck. In 1881 what 
was left of the property was purchased by Nathaniel Web- 
ster of Massachusetts, who repaired and refurnished it at a 
cost of $90,000 and renamed it The Everett. Mr. Webster 
conducted the hotel one year and then leased it to J. M. Lee 
of Madison, Wis. In 1885 Mr. Webster decided to enlarge the 
hotel and built a six-story addition on the Forsyth Street side 
at an approximate cost of $100,000. In order to carry out 
this improvement he borrowed $75,000 from the Penn Mutual 
Life Insurance Company and gave back a mortgage. The 
mortgage resulted in considerable trouble and ended in a 
foreclosure sale on November 7, 1898, to the Insurance Com- 
pany for the amount. The Penn Mutual sold the Bay Street 
side (now the Everett) to Harry Mason in November, and 
the Forsyth Street side (now the Aragon) to Dr. Neal 
Mitchell in December, 1900; the published account stated 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 489 


that the price paid by Dr. Mitchell was $30,000. This prop- 
erty was not burned in the fire of 1901, and the Everett and 
the Aragon are still a part of Jacksonville. 


Duval Hotel? 


The Nichols House, a three-story brick hotel, was built by 
W.M. Nichols at the northwest corner of Hogan and Forsyth 
Streets in 1875 at a cost of $63,000. It was conducted for 
several years by the owner, who then sold it to J. S. Turner. 
Mr. Turner leased the property to General B. Lewis, who 
renamed it Duval Hotel. In 1885 improvements costing 
$25,000 were made to the property. The Duval Hotel was 
burned March 15, 1892, at 1:30 a. m., all of the guests escap- 
ing without injury. In the following year the present Duval 
Hotel was built for the management of Dodge & Cullins; they 
opened the new hotel December 11, 1893. This building was 
not burned in the fire of May 3, 1901. It occupies the most 
historic spot in Jacksonville, for it stands partly on the site 
of the log-cabin home of L. Z. Hogans, the first house built 
within the limits of old Jacksonville. 


Windsor Hotel. 


The Windsor was originally a three-story wooden struc- 
ture occupying the full lot at the northwest corner of Hogan 
and Monroe Streets, built in 1875 by Scott & Moore. They 
conducted it during the first season and then sold it to Dr. 
N. B. Wolfe of Cincinnati, who died in possession, the prop- 
erty descending to his daughter, Mrs. Van Hamm, who sold 
to Dodge & Cullins in April, 1897, as published, for $75,000, 
notwithstanding the fact that the property had been greatly 
enlarged and represented a total outlay of $250,000. 

In the original Windsor of 1875 the guest rooms were on 
the two upper floors. On the first floor were located the 
offices, ante-rooms, parlors, and dining rooms, together with 
a number of large sleeping apartments. In 1885 the hotel 
was enlarged by an addition extending along Hogan Street 
to Duval, which increased its capacity to 200 guests. It was 
then a three-story wooden building fronting 210 feet on 
Hogan Street and extending back 105 feet. Prior to 1897 
other enlargements were made so that when Dodge & Cullins 
bought the property the hotel fronted 210 feet on Hogan, 


490 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


210 feet on Monroe, 315 on Duval and 52 on Julia, with accom- 
modations for 450 guests. This enormous structure was 
burned in the fire of May 3, 1901. 

The present beautiful Windsor Hotel was built by Dodge 
& Cullins in replacement of the one destroyed by the fire. It 
was started in August, 1901, and completed and formally 
opened to the public February 15, 1902. Its style of architec- 
ture is Spanish Renaissance. The Windsor was the only 
large hotel destroyed by the fire that was rebuilt; and it was 
the last built in Jacksonville upon the old plan of covering a 
large area instead of conserving ground space and building 
upward. It is a brick, stone and steel structure, divided into 
sections by fire walls. The building covers the entire block 
and has accommodations for 500 guests.4 


Carleton Hotel? 


In 1875 a party of gentlemen, E. C. Stimpson, George A. 
Devnell and others, returning to their homes in Haverhill, 
Mass., from a trip to California, stopped in Jacksonville for 
awhile. Messrs. Stimpson and Devnell saw an opportunity 
here for yet another first-class hotel. They bought the north- 
west corner of Bay and Market Streets, 1387 feet on Bay and 
105 on Market, for $8,600, and on this site they built the 
Carleton Hotel. Work was commenced in March, 1876. Face 
brick were brought down from New Hampshire and sash, 
doors and blinds from Haverhill. The hotel was completed 
and opened to the public November 20, 1876. It was four 
stories in height, contained 105 guest rooms, and cost $90,000, 
and with the furnishings represented an outlay of $125,000. 
The hotel was named in honor of James H. Carleton, a prom- 
inent citizen of Haverhill. 

For a long time the Carleton was one of Florida’s famous 
hotels and its history is inseparably linked with that of Jack- 
sonville of former days. In 1889 the property was leased to 
A. W. Deiter; it was sold to A. J. Michenor in 1891, and resold 
to J. M. Diven in 1894. Diven spent $25,000 in refurnishing 
the hotel. After this the property was again sold and the 
name changed to United States Hotel. To the people of Jack- 
sonville, however, it will always be known as the Carleton. 
The hotel was burned in the fire of May 3, 1901, and was 
not rebuilt. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 491 


Tourist Days in Jacksonville.¢ 


In the palmy tourist days of 1876-86, when Jacksonville 
was known as the “Winter City in Summerland”, the names 
“St. James”, “Carleton”, ‘Windsor’, were widely known 
throughout the North and East, for they were popular hotels 
and enjoyed a lucrative business in the winter-time. It used 
to be the custom of the local papers to publish at the close of 
the winter season the number of winter visitors to Jackson- 
ville, compiled from the registers of the hotels and the large 
transient boarding houses. The record for this period was as 
follows: 


Pets ereee em a ial yak Gages 5 tats "ss Weieig lee Lalas 39,810 
CAPA eSel Mer Mar alas ALao hs ie fcVe) cies obs Wes aa \wie sltas ole e/a 48,869 
TRS SEND a ae ass)ey La Paray lef oka eis eleva lai giala ava 60,011 
CP ele LEE EIDE CO ETE TE tt He 65,193 
Peete Lec 0) Epc ae an A Aare ateya Maire tC URN 58,460 


*The falling-off in the winter of 1886-87 was due to the 
campaign put on by California to attract the tourists from 
Florida to that State, to off-set which the Sub-Tropical Expo- 
sition was produced. 


The guests of the large hotels were seldom seen on the 
streets before ten o’clock in the morning. Breakfast over, 
they turned toward Bay Street for shopping and a promenade 
from the Everett to the Carleton, a distance of half a mile. 
During these morning hours of the winter one met on the 
streets of Jacksonville people from every Northern and West- 
ern State as well as many Southerners, and titled personages 
from foreign countries. 

The bazaars, curio shops, and stores which lined Bay 
Street were thronged with well-dressed people on pleasure 
bent. Representatives of the New York and London society 
clubs, money kings, literary celebrities, dowagers and their 
daughters, bridal couples, and Bohemians jostled one 
another in their round of pleasure. From three to five in 
the afternoon the scene was repeated. In the evening life on 
the street was transferred to the hotels, where good music 
by bands and famous orchestras invited the dance. Life at 
large hotels during the winter season was a round of pleasure 
and fascination, for every facility was provided for the en- 
joyment of the visitors. For the convenience of foreigners 


492 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


who did not understand English well the hotels, particularly 
the Carleton, employed a special corps of waiters that could 
speak the principal foreign languages. 


Seminole Hotel? 


Ten stories in height, the Seminole at the southeast corner 
of Forsyth and Hogan Streets is the pioneer “skyscraper” 
hotel of Jacksonville. Built for the Florida Hotel Company, 
of which R. R. Meyer was president, the hotel was completed 
and opened to the public January 1, 1910. The Seminole pre- 
sents a pleasing combination of grey granite, grey cut stone, 
and buff pressed brick, with carved panel decorations typify- 
ing its Indian name. In the lobby and connecting entrances 
the floors are laid in marble mosaic, while the walls are 
trimmed with white Alabama marble. The hotel has two 
dining rooms, the “Indian Room” opening off the rotunda 
being a popular place. The tenth floor was designed for con- 
ventions and large entertainments. There are 250 guest 
rooms. The Seminole has played an important part in the 
social life of the city and is popular with the clubs and 
societies of Jacksonville as a place for luncheon meetings. 


Mason Hotel¢ 


The Mason is a steel, granite and red tapestry brick struc- 
ture of 11 stories, French Renaissance in style; located on 
the northwest corner of Bay and Julia Streets, it dominates 
the sky-line in that section of the city, its dining room on 
the 11th floor furnishing an unobstructed and beautiful view 
of the St. Johns River for many miles. The building rests on 
concrete caissons anchored on bed-rock, and is fire and wind- 
proof. The lobby is finished in caen stone and mosaic tile 
upon which the skylight between the wings sheds an attrac- 
tive mellow glow. The Mason was built for George H. Mason 
in 1913 at a cost, including furnishings and equipment, of 
approximately a million dollars. There are 250 guest rooms, 
all with private baths. The hotel was opened to the public 


December 81, 1913; it is one of Jacksonville’s most popular 
hotels. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 493 


Burbridge Hotel.? 


The Burbridge at the northeast corner of Forsyth and 
Clay Streets is a fireproof building of stone, concrete and 
buff-colored brick. It is seven stories high. The lobby is 
large and attractive, being finished in red and white tile with 
wainscoting of white Alabama marble and ceilings of stucco. 
There are 175 guest rooms each with a private bath. The 
hotel was opened to the public under the management of W. 
P. Kenney December 29, 1911. The Burbridge is a favorite 
with traveling men; and sportsmen find a delight in the lobby 
decorations—trophies of Ben Burbridge brought back from 
Alaska and from several trips to the African wild. 


Resort Hotels 


Murray Hall Hotel at Pablo Beach? 

The Murray Hall was built in 1886 by John G. Christopher 
of Jacksonville, at a cost, including furnishings and equip- 
ment, of about $150,000. Though not entirely completed it 
was thrown open during the encampment of State troops at 
Pablo July 5-10, 1886. This was a large frame hotel, the 
main portion and wings being three stories, with a tower-like 
section of six stories infront. A number of secondary towers 
and look-outs gave it the appearance of an exhibition build- 
ing, especially when all of its flags were flying. Piazzas 15 
feet wide extended along the front on all floors. The hotel 
was provided with steam heat and besides had 58 open fire- 
places, for it was designed as a year-round hotel. It was 
lighted throughout by electricity from its own plant and had 
artesian water from its own wells. The grounds were elab- 
orately landscaped. The accommodations were for 200 
guests. Murray Hall gained the reputation of being the most 
attractive seaside resort hotel on the South Atlantic coast. 

About midnight of August 7, 1890, fire was discovered in 
the boiler room and despite every effort to put it out the 
building was consumed, together with the pavilion, pagodas 
and bulkheads. It was a total loss to its owner as there was 
practically no insurance on the property. 

C. H. French managed Murray Hall the first season; J. G. 
Christopher the following three seasons, and J. R. Campbell 
of the St. James Hotel in Jacksonville the season of the fire. 


494 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


Continental at Atlantic Beach? 

The Continental was built by the Florida East Coast Hotel 
Company (Flagler interests) and opened its first season June 
1, 1901. This was an immense wooden structure 447 feet in 
length by 47 feet wide. The central rotunda was six stories 
in height; from the rotunda on each side north and south 
were two four-story wings at the extremity of which was a 
“T” of five stories. Detached 20 feet from the main building 
was a covered promenade 16 feet wide along the entire ocean- 
front (east side), southern and western sides, with a total 
length of 1,100 feet. There were 186 sleeping apartments 
(afterward increased to 220) and 56 baths. The dining room 
had a capacity for 350 people at a time. The Continental was 
painted a colonial yellow, with green blinds, and occupying an 
elevated site it was an imposing object visible for miles. This 
was one of the chain of Florida east coast hotels. It was 
burned to the ground September 20, 1919, just after sundown. 
The value of the property at that time was stated as $300,000. 


In February, 1911, the Continental was leased by the 
F. E. C. Hotel Company to A. S. Stanford, representing the 
American Resort Hotel Co., for a term of ten years. In May, 
19138, the hotel and all of the land northward to the south 
jetty, approximately 4,000 acres, was purchased from the 
F’. E. C. Hotel Co., by E. R. Bracket and a party of New York 
capitalists, who formed the Atlantic Beach Corporation and 
renamed the hotel Atlantic Beach Hotel. The hotel property 
was sold at public auction May 7, 1917, and was bought in by 
the F. E. C. Hotel Co. for $167,000. In November, 1917, the 
property was leased to W. H. Adams. 


About 1880, many Jacksonville residents had summer cot- 
tages along the river between Mayport and what is now the 
south jetty; and Fort George Island on the north side was a 
popular resort with two hotels—one on the beach and the 
other facing the river inside the north jetty. These hotels 
were popular with tourists and the travel became so heavy 
that the side-wheel steamer Water Lily, which was on the 
run to Ft. George Island, could not handle the crowds. It 
was then that the fast propeller-steamer, Kate Spencer, was 
built for this service; she made two trips daily in the winter- 
time and was always crowded with visitors.° With the build- 
ing of the railroads southward Fort George Island as a tourist 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 495 


resort began to decline, the crest of the tourist travel moving 
on to the frontier of easy transportation. 

The hotels on Ft. George Island eventually burned. The 
Atlantic on the opposite side of the river burned. The hotels 
at Burnside Beach burned. The Continental at Atlantic Beach 
burned. Murray Hall and two other hotels at Pablo Beach 
at different times burned. Such is the record of frame hotels 
at the beach. Fire once started is soon fanned beyond the 
control of a bucket brigade by the nearly constant fresh 
breeze there. The warning in this record seems now about 
to be heeded, for the Casa Marina at Pablo, started in Novem- 
ber, 1924, and now in course of construction, will be a fire- 
resisting hotel of cement and tile, the first of the kind to be 
built at Jacksonville’s beaches. 


Bibliography, Chapter XXVIII 


aMrs. W. M. Bostwick; 0. L. Keene, who took charge of the Judson House in 1855 ; 
cEsgate’s ‘“‘Jacksonviile’, 1885; dF'rom local newspaper accounts: eCapt. R. G. Ross. 


496 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CHAPTER XXIX 


CLIMATE AND HEALTH 
Climatet 


*There is a remarkable temperature record for Jackson- 
ville practically continuous since 1829. Judge F. Bethune started 
it and Dr. A. S. Baldwin carried it on for the Smithsonian Insti- 
tution until the Weather Bureau established its station here 
in 1871. 


The lowest temperature ever recorded here was on Feb- 
ruary 8, 1835, when it fell to 8 degrees F. Scarcely a win- 
ter passes without a temperature at some time as low as 
freezing (82 degrees), but with a record of nearly a century 
to draw from it has fallen as low as 20 degrees only as indi- 
cated in the following table. 


Record to and including 1924 


Date Deg. F. Date Deg. F. 

T8351 Pebruary ceiacs oes 8 1895 { February. 8... cn 14 
1845 December 21.......... 205) (P82) Webruary ).9).. eerie 19 
18625 (January Te ei aa 20 1899 ) February 133%). 0. ete 10 
1857 PU ANUaTY NiO vies ween 16 UPebruary 14.4; horn 16 
igh APE ei SO ease Ny 18°) 1900.) (February, 18.04) ay bee 18 

1868 December25.......... 20; 1901) .December21 ota 20 
1870 December 24.......... 19°" 1905.) January (200.7 .G.e eee 17 
1880 December30.......... 1901909" December S00} ee 19 
1886 PanNuary | kV uo 19°:1917:>) February’ (3.3700 e7 eee 16 
URS Fv LEY op Ts Bg COA H 15 1917 December31.......... 19 


1894 December 29.......... 14 


Extreme cold spells (known as cold waves) usually last 
two days and then give way to more moderate temperature. 
Snow (mostly light flurries) has occurred at Jacksonville on 
an average of once every seven years. The average first frost 
in Autumn comes in the first week of November and the last 
in Spring the third week of March. 

Our winter climate has been the subject of song and story 
so long that it is well known throughout the country ; but our 
summer climate is not so well understood, nor generally ap- 
preciated even by our native inhabitants. 

The same causes that modify the cold of winter contribute 
to tempering the summer climate. The vast water areas on 


” +Statistical data furnished by A. J. Mitchell, meteorologist U. S. Weather Bureau. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA A497 


each side of the Florida peninsula ensure a free circulation of 
air and nearly a constant breeze both night and day, giving 
us a summer climate almost oceanic in character. Midday 
temperatures in summer are usually well into the 90’s F., but 
on account of the breeze the sensation of oppression is seldom 
felt. Describing a characteristic summer afternoon: 

Soon after midday the clouds begin to bank in the west. 
After a while the distant rumble of thunder is heard as the 
rain cloud approaches; then the shower begins with a decided 
drop in the temperature of the air. The storm passes on and 
the sun peeps out from a clearing sky, mapping its rainbow 
on the back of the receding clouds. The air is fresh and 
pleasant now; the sunbeams expend their energy in the evap- 
oration of surface moisture and not as sensible heat. Night 
comes on. A gentle breeze is blowing. Unhampered by 
clouds, radiation of heat from the ground proceeds and as 
the night advances there comes a chill in the air that often 
makes light covering necessary for comfortable sleep. Finally 
morning dawns, to begin the general sequence of the preced- 
ing day. ; 

‘When the press despatches tell us that the North or the 
West is suffering from the visitation of a summer hot wave 
and the people there are panting for breath; that a population 
unable to rest at night on account of the heat seeks the open 
places in search of an absent breeze; and finally the story of 
distress and death resulting from the effects of heat pros- 
tration—then we should recognize how favored we are by 
the pleasant, restful nights that characterize our summer- 
time. Our summers are usually from the middle of May to 
the last of September, relatively long but not severe. 

There are no cyclone cellars in Jacksonville, because there 
has been no need for them. One instance only is of record 
when a local storm assumed the nature of a well-defined tor- 
nado, 


*This instance was on March 10, 1872, when a violent wind 
and rain squall swept over the city about midnight and three 
miles north assumed the nature of a well-defined tornado that 
cut a clear path three-quarters of a mile wide from the Panama 
Road to the St. Johns River. Large trees were uprooted or 
twisted off, a number of houses and barns demolished, several 
people injured, and some stock killed. Tall grass was mowed 
down as if by a mower. One of the wind’s remarkable freaks 
was it took a man’s hat in which he had some papers off of his 


498 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


head and carried it across the St. Johns River, where it was 
afterward found undamaged with the papers undisturbed. 


The hurricane season is in the fall, August to October, 
but sometimes years pass without a noticeable influence of 
these storms in this vicinity. The greatest damage that one 
has ever done here was in 1894, when the framing for the 
union station, then under construction, was blown down. 
Their full effect may be properly described as several days 
of extremely disagreeable weather—heavy rain and wind 
squalls. After that the return to normal weather is rapid, 
with a strong probability of no recurrence of storm conditions 
that season and possibly not for several years. 

We have two rainy and two dry seasons. The heaviest 
rains usually occur in August and September with a secondary 
rainy season in February and March. The dry months are 
April and November. In this section rainfall is more espe- 
cially an item of importance to agriculture. No rainfall in 
the watershed of the St. Johns River has ever been known 
to effect the river perceptibly, therefore we have no danger- 
ous floods. 

A condition of perfect climate does not exist upon the 
earth, but when all phases are considered the year-round cli- 
mate of Jacksonville registers along with the best for com- 
fort and safety. It is not always June in Jacksonville; our 
houses are provided with furnaces and our citizens wear 
overcoats in the winter-time. 


Health 


Even in the log-cabin days of Cow Ford people of the 
North braved the tedious journey and came to this vicinity 
in search of health. The relative mildness of the winter 
climate and its abundant sunshine, permitting unrestricted 
out-of-door exercise, contributed immense benefits and the 
invalids returned to their homes greatly improved. Some of 
them played safe, settled here, and attained a ripe old age 
filled with comfort and happiness. They were a part of the 
nucleus about which the town was built. 

In 18385 the editor of the Jacksonville Courier published: 
“This place (Jacksonville) bids fair to become the most im- 
portant town in Florida, not only on account of its pleasant 
and healthy situation, but also its situation with respect to 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 499 


trade; there are at this time more exports and imports from 
this section than any other part of East Florida”. Captain 
Obadiah Congar, one of the pioneers, seven years later wrote 
his sister in New Jersey: ‘‘With respect to health and climate 
there is no place anywhere in the country better off than 
Jacksonville”. In all of the material examined, printed and 
written in this early period, the healthfulness of the place is 
stressed. 

Between 1849 and 1857 a series of epidemics of sickness 
introduced from outside sources swept Jacksonville, among 
them a severe epidemic of yellow fever. Medical science of 
that day was unable to cope with them and the climate was 
accused of being the culprit. About this time there was 
beginning to grow up in the North a popular belief that the 
atmosphere in the coastal sections of the Southern States 
during the warm months of the year was polluted with all 
sorts of disease, and Jacksonville came now to be included. 
This idea prevailed for many years and it was not an unrea- 
sonable one in view of the circumstances of those times. The 
medical profession groped around in search of a cause, but 
epidemics continued to be reported here and there, one sum- 
mer in one place and the next in another, until microbes and 
quinine pills became by-words synonymous with the thought 
of life in the South during summer-time. The first warm 
spell in spring sent the tourists and winter visitors scurrying 
to their homes. 

The last yellow fever epidemic in Jacksonville was in 
1888, and it was the worst of them all. Fifteen years later 
the secret of the South’s scourge had been disclosed and the 
deadly work of the mosquito evinced without the shadow of 
a doubt. It took the public some time to realize the meaning 
of this discovery ; a deep-seated impression or habit cannot 
be eradicated suddenly, and the legacy of a former genera- 
tion existed in the North to a certain extent for a long time 
afterward. 

We have among us year-round residents from nearly 
every section of the United States and many from foreign 
lands and the consensus of their opinion is expressed in the 
language of the pioneers when they wrote to their folks back 
home, ‘‘Probably nowhere in the country can be found a more 
healthful place to live in than here in Jacksonville, Florida.” 


500 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


CONCLUSION 


Jacksonville did not spring up by accident. A careful 
analysis of its history shows that the forces operating in its 
behalf in the beginning were founded on sound principles of 
climate, health, and location for trade. The same forces are 
with us still. The first has undergone no change. The second, 
though passing through a period of distress, was finally 
brought by medical discovery and control to a state of per- 
manent perfection greater than known before. The pano- 
rama of the last, trade, is that of a development based upon 
natural advantages through slow, then moderate stages up to 
the great fire of 1901; and after that the present Jackson- 
ville—a modern city of brick and stone, throbbing with sub- 
stantial business and industry and charged with the thought 
of more. 

The growth of Jacksonville is shown by the following 
table; the U.S. Census Bureau did not make separate returns 
for the town until 1850: 


Jacksonville’s Growth in Population 


ARVANA A Na Rab cee eT A 154 
LBS eeu ase eet ete 1002 
TB 40 Sei alain delaras 8 okerebateuere i 3502 
LSHO a iluig aa.2 sale ety siete 1,045 
ASGO. Pca. a eons Vee 2,018 
LE TO che cae eta teen fer 6,912b 
ASSO Ack Dr eae gies enamel at weed 7,650¢ 
ABO es ve husud ate neve Acetic rele pte 17,201¢ 
LOO cA amt iaos ee tere etaens 28,429 
LOL Ora Ai aan 57,699 
LOO ie heh ceca uc cites ie ale 91,5584 
1D 22 od ateelen yee ee ah ee 100,046¢ 


aBstimated ; bAbnormal increase due to temporary residents; cTemporary residents 
had departed; dCity limits extended since last census; eOn the 100th anniversary of 
Jacksonville the U. S. Government took an official census of the city in relation to the 
mail carrier service. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 501 


PERSONAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT 


A most pleasant feature connected with the preparation 
of this history was the splendid cooperation accorded me by 
people everywhere, both in public and private life. There 
were hundreds of them whose names do not appear in the 
bibliographies with whom I talked or wrote to in relation to 
Jacksonville’s history, and I recall few indeed who were not 
courteous and helpful in every way possible. I wish I could 
name them all here. Julien C. Yonge, of Pensacola, who 
possesses the most complete file of Territorial Florida news- 
papers in existence, contributed much valuable data for that 
early period. Prof. J.O. Knauss (History), F. 8. C. W., who 
is making researches along specific lines on Florida’s history, 
furnished me with important material. The United States 
Government officials at Washington without exception under- 
stood the object of this work and cooperated generously in 
furnishing copies of important records; likewise the State 
officials. County and City officials were helpful, too, though 
the city has few records that go back beyond the fire of 1901. 
The painstaking surveys and drawings by T. Hurd 
Kooker, C. E., were contributions made especially for this 
history ; likewise the special photographs by C. H. Brown. 
The Florida Times-Union accorded me many courtesies in 
connection with this work. J. F. Marron and his assist- 
ants at the Public Library were helpful at all times. The 
officers of The Florida Historical Society all during the years 
of preparation of this work never failed to render every 
assistance possible, and especially its present President, Ar- 
thur T. Williams; it is a sincere gratification to the author 
that the title page bears the imprint of The Florida His- 
torical Society as publisher. 

There were others whose eyes will never see this book— 
those old citizens who knew Jacksonville in the period before 
the conflict between the States, and are now in the Great 
Beyond. I cannot ignore them in this acknowledgment, for 
upon their recollections is based the record of life in Jackson- 
ville in what they called “The happy days before the war”. 

In this simple acknowledgment I express to everyone my 
gratitude, whether for data or for a friendly interest in the 
preparation of this history. 


Tue AUTHOR. 


502 HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


AGREEMENT between T.Frederick Davis, author of a manuscript entitled 
"History of Jacksonville, Florida, and Vicinity" and the Board of Directors 
of The Florida Historical Society, as now or may hereafter be constituted, 
in relation to the publication of the said manuscript, 

Witneseeth: 

That the said T.Frederick Davis hereby conveys to the said 
Board of Directors the right perpetually to publish the said manuscript in 
as many editions as it may desire and to distribute or sell the published 
work at a price to be determined by itself, it being understood and agreed 
that any and all profit arising from the sale of any edition published by 
virtue of this agreement shall be devoted to the usages of the said Society. 
in the advancement of educational knowledge bearing upon the history of 
Flerida, under and in accordance with the stipulations following to wit:- 

(1) That the first edition shall be an exact copy of the original 
manuscript and made according to specifications furnished by the Author. 

{2} That eacn and every edition published subsequently to the first 
edition spall be an unabridged copy of the first edition in type matter 
and illustration, and at least equal to it in quality of stock, binding, 
and workmanship, and shall bear on backbone, cover, and title page the 
samé inecription«as that of the first edition and none other. 

{3) That no appendix and no advertisement of any character, type or 
iliustration, shail ever be inserted in any edition. 

(4) That the work shall be published only as a separate volume under 

ts own cover and in strict accordance with the stipulations herein named. 

(5) Tnat a cony of this agreement shall be published upon the page next 

preceding the Index of every edition published by virtue of this agreement. 


In agreement hereto witness our signatures this 22d day of August, 1925. 


srge core Heese 


r The Florida msotoriogh fs 





HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


503 


SUBJECT INDEX 


Aeronautics: Air craft, first ap- 
pearance, 381; the NC 4, 275; 
trans-continental flight of Mc- 
Cauley, 274; of Coney, 279; of 
Doolittle, 282; aerial circus, 381; 
Parl Dodge’s aviation school, 
381; Jacksonville Aero Club, 382. 

America, Yacht, 128. 

American Legion Post, 439. 

American Red Cross, 439. 

April Follies, 283. 

Arcade Theatre, 248. 

Arden, 45, 244. 

Army Camps, see Camps. 

Assessor, City, office created, 290. 

Atlantic Boulevard, history of, 237. 

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, 345- 
348. 

Auditor, City, office created, 290. 

Aurora borealis, 111. 

Automobile: Growth of the busi- 
ness locally, 379-380; first in 
Jacksonville, 379; first clubs, 
230, 380; first show, 380; first 
races at Atlantic Beach, 232, 
240; first through trip to the 
beach, 232; first New York to 
Jacksonville, 233; first taxi serv- 
ice, 286; Glidden tour, 241. 

Aviation, see Aeronautics. 

Avondale, 48, 279. 


Banks: Those that ceased, 475-485. 
Present banks: Atlantic Nation- 
al, 481; Barnett National, 479; 
Brotherhood Savings, 485; Citi- 
zens, 482; Federal Reserve, 485; 
Florida National, 481; Morris 
Plan, 485; Pablo Beach, 485; 
Peoples, 483; South Jackson- 
ville, 484; U. S. Postal, 483. 
Bank Robberies, see Robberies. 

Bar Association, 202. 

Bar, St. Johns River, 6, 104, 383- 
386. 

Barefoot Bill, 239. 


Baseball, 174, 179, 202, 231. 

Benai Bareth, 159. 

Bicycle: As a developer, 377; local 
history, 378; racing, 191, 198, 
202. 

Big Jim, 322. 

Bit, money division, 98. 

Blind Tom, 170. 

Block House, 77. 

Board of Trade, see Chamber of 
Commerce. 

Boards, Municipal: 

Bond Trustees, created, 289; ab- 
sorbs duties of Election (Po- 
lice) Commissioners, 289; of 
Board of Public Works, 290; 
of Board of Health, 290; board 
abolished, 290; list of Chair- 
men, 292. 

Charities, created, 290. 

Election Commissioners, created, 
289; abolished, 289. 

Health, created, 189; duties as- 
signed to Bond Trustees, 290. 

Playground and Recreation, 291. 

Police Commissioners, created, 
288; duties assigned to Elec- 
tion Commissioners, 289. 

Port Commissioners, created, 
290; abolished, 290. 

Public Works, created, 287; du- 
ties assigned to Bond Trus- 
tees, 290; abolished, 290. 

Bonds, City, 189, 317-319. 

Border conditions, 28. 

Boulevards, see Highways. 

Boundaries, City, changes in, 315- 
OL ts 

Boy Scouts, 440. 

Boys’ Home, 439. 

Brady, John, see Settlers. 

Brentwood, 243. 

Bridges: Jacksonville-St. Johns 
River Highway, 329; F. E. C. 
Railway, 351; McGirts Creek, 
235. 


504 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


INDEX 


Brooklyn, 42. 

Buckles, Stephen E., see Settlers. 

Buildings: City, 330-332; County, 
68, 64, 473; U. S. Government, 
87, 340; Skyscrapers: Atlantic 
Nat'l. Bank, 244; Bisbee, 244; 
Florida Life (Fla. Nat’l. Bank), 
245; Heard (Graham), 245; Ma- 
son, 246; Rhodes-Futch-Collins, 
246; Seminole, 245. St. James 
Building, 246; Union Terminal 
Building, 246. 

Bulkhead, river, first, 838. 

Bunco Swindlers, 159. 

Business depression: of 1914-16, 
250-252; other depressions, see 
Panics. 

Business and Professional Wo- 
men’s Club, 274. 


California propaganda, 176, 491. 

Camps, army: Cuba Libre, 210- 
2138; State Camp—Camp John- 
ston, 262-266. 

Card playing, 98. 

Carpet-baggers, who they were 
and what they did, 144-147; local 
government restored to home 
people, 154. 

Census, 500. 

Chamber of Commerce, history of, 
432-434, | 

Channel, St. Johns River, 389-391. 

Charlesfort, see French Colony. 

Charter: Acts affecting local Gov- 
ernment, 287-291; changes in 
Town and City limits, 315-317; 
first Town charter in full, 70-74. 

Child, white, first born, 23, 415. 

Children’s Home Society, 440. 

Chimneys, sweeping of, 310. 

Christopher, John G., Steamer, 
195. 

Chronological Record, 155-285. 

Churches, Religious Denomina- 
tions: Baptist, 401; Christian, 
411; Christian Science, 413; 
Congregational, 407; Episcopal, 
395; Hebrew, 410; Lutheran, 
409; Methodist, 393; Presbyte- 


rian, 403; Roman Catholic, 398; 
Unitarian, 414. 

City Buildings, 330-332. 

City Commission created, 290. 

City Commissioner elections, 305- 
306. 

City Limits, see Boundaries. 

City Planning Commission, 243, 
283. 

City of Nassau, S. S., 178. 

Civil War, see War Between the 
States. 

Civitan Club, 440. 

Cleveland, Grover, 177, 187. 

Climate of Jacksonville, 496-498. 

Clyde Steamship Line, 367. 

Cold Waves, see Freezes. 

Collector, City, office created, 287; 
abolished, 287. 

Colonial Dames, 444. 

Community Chest, 278. 

Community Players, 278. 

Community Service, 276. 

Comptroller, City, office created, 
287; abolished, 290. 

Concussion theory, 183. 

Confederate Organizations: R. E. 
Lee Camp, C. V., 172; J. B. Gor- 
don Camp, C. V., 247; Sons of 
Veterans, 196, 216; United 
Daughters of Confederacy, 446; 
Confederate Home, 198; Con- 
federate reunion, 247; Confed- 
erate monuments, see Monu- 
ments. 

Consolidation of City and County, 
288. 

Convention, Democratic, last, 218. 

Coontra, 98. 

Corbett-Mitchell prize-fight, 199. 

Cotton, 37, 82, 95, 104. 

Councilmen At-Large, office cre- 
ated, 289; abolished, 289; re- 
created, 290. 

County, see Duval County. 

County Judges, list of, 65. 

Courthouses, 63, 64. 

Courts established, see 
County. 

Cow Boys, military company, 116, 
464, 


Duval 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


505 


INDEX 


Cow Ford, see Jacksonville. 
Crime Wave, 176, 200, 280. 
Curfew, 82, 306. 

Cyclones, see Tornadoes. 


Dances, old-time, 112. 

Daniel Memorial Orphanage, his- 
tory of, 434-437, 

Daughters of American Revolu- 
tion, 23, 440. 

Dauntless, famous tugboat, 207, 
208. 

Dawson, W. G., see Settlers. 

De Gourgues, see French Colony. 

Delaware, S. S., 216. 

Democratic State Convention, last, 
218. 

Dengue Fever, 86, 282. 

De Valera, Eamon, 277. 

Dewey, Admiral George, 217. 

Dodge’s aviation school, 381. 

Drills, Interstate, 187, 190. 

Duel, 83. 

Duval County: Created, 59; first 
officers, 59; Superior Court, 59; 
first Grand Jury, 60; first Civil 
Case, 61; County Courts estab- 
lished, 61; first lawyer, 62; early 
court days, 61; first marriage 
license, 62; courthouses, 62-64; 
list of County Judges, 65. 

Duval Theatre, 231. 


Earthquake, 175. 

East Jacksonville, 47. 

Election Commissioners, see 
Boards. 

Electric Lights, history of, 323- 
324; explosion at plant, 231. 

Elections, municipal, record of, 
1865 to 1924, with vote polled, 
293-306. 

Elective Franchise, taken from 
people, 288, 300; restored to 
people, 289, 301. 

Elevations, highest construction, 
246. 

Elks Club, 439. 

Elizabeth Edgar Home, 441. 

Embargo, railroad, 276. 

Encampments, State troops, 175, 
218, 230. 


Erosion, St. Johns River, 389. 

Exchange Club, 441. 

Executions, white, in 
County, 153. 


Duval 


Fagan-Carlin murder, 152. 

Fairfield, 47, 287. 

Federation of Mothers’ Clubs, 441. 

Federation of Women’s Clubs, 253. 

Fernandina occupied by Patriots, 
29; by “Carthagenians” under 
M’Gregor, 36. 

Ferry, 67, 88. Jacksonville-South 
Jacksonville service, 366, 375- 
377. 

Arlington service, 2438. 

Fireboat, 243, 314. 

Fire Department, history of, 310- 
314. 

Fires: Conflagrations, 100, 104, 
131, 152; 173; 179, 188, 190; of 
1891, 192; city destroyed in 1901, 
219-227. Other large fires, rec- 
ord of in General Chronology, 
156-285, Large fires at Burn- 
side Beach, 189; at Mayport, 
258, 284; at Pablo Beach, 198, 
247, 248, 498; at Atlantic Beach, 
A494, 

Fishweir Park, 45. 

Flags: Flag of Jacksonville, 423; 
Patriot flag, 36. 

Flagler, Henry M., 349. 

Florida: Discovered by Ponce de 
Leon, 1; flowers not a factor in 
the name, 1; ceded to England 
by Spain, 25; ceded back to 
Spain, 28; acquired but not pur- 
chased by United States, 39; as 
a “Republic,” 36. 

Florida Country Club, 441. 

Florida East Coast Railway, 349- 
351. 

Florida Fruit Growers Assn., 171. 

Florida Historical Pageant, 281. 

Florida Yacht Club, 164, 442. 

Floods, 230. 

Flying Machines, see Aeronautics. 

Food prices, 1914-1920, 271. 

Ford assembling plant, 285. 

Fords, Indian, across St. Johns 
River, 25. 


506 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


INDEX 


Fort George Island, tourist cen- 
ter, 494. 

Forts: Caroline, San Mateo, and 
Spanish forts at mouth of the 
river, see French Colony; Fort 
San Nicholas, 28, 36, 37. 

Freedmen’s Bureau: Its purpose, 
139-140; activities of, 140; 
churches and_ schools, 140; 
banks, 140-141; its end, 141. 

French Colony on River May (St. 
Johns). 

Ribault’s first voyage: Object 
of, 4; discovers and names 
river May, 4, 6; first Protes- 
tant prayer in U. S., 5; im- 
pressions of new land, 6; 
erects marker of possession, 
6; lure of gold and pearls, 7; 
sails northward and leaves 
handful of men at place he 
calls Charlesfort, 7; returns 
to France, 7; fate of Charles- 
fort, 7. 

Laudonniere’s Huguenot Colony: 
Colonists arrive at River May 
(St. Johns), 7; colony planted 
at St. Johns Bluff, 8; named 
Fort Caroline, 9; colonists 
improvident and dissensions 
arise, 9; trouble with the In- 
dians, 9; colonists decide to 
return to France, 10; visit of 
Sir John Hawkins, 10; prep- 
arations for leaving continue, 
10; on eve of departure Ri- 
bault arrives with relief, 10. 

Ribault’s second voyage: Ar- 
rives at Fort Caroline with 
600 colonists, 11; brings wom- 
en and children, 11; Span- 
iards chase French vessels to 
sea, 11; Ribault decides to at- 
tack Spaniards under Menen- 
dez at St. Augustine, 11; sails 
to make the attack, and his 
ships are wrecked by a hurri- 
cane, 12. 

Menendez: Plans to destroy 
French colony, 12; religion 
the pretext, 12; arrives at St. 


French Colony (Continued) : 
Augustine, 12; chases Ri- 
bault’s ships to sea, 13; plans 
land attack on Fort Caroline, 
18; marches four days during 
a hurricane, 13; camps and 
holds council near Fort Caro- 
line, 18; captures Fort Caro- 
line, 14; general massacre of 
the Huguenots, 14; some 
women and boys spared, 14; 
Laudonniere escapes, 14; the 
placard “Not as Frenchmen, 
but as Lutherans”, 15; Menen- 
dez returns to St. Augustine, 
15; murders Ribault and the 
shipwrecked Frenchmen, 15. 

Fort Caroline: Built by Laudon- 
niere, 8; named for boy king 
of France, 9; first white 
women and children in U. S. 
landed at, 11, 23; fort cap- 
tured by Menendez, 14; Me- 
nendez changes name of fort 
to San Mateo, 17. 

Fort San Mateo: Burned by ac- 
cident, 17; rebuilt, 17; de- 
stroyed by De Gourgues, 21; 
rebuilt, 24. 

De Gourgues: Organizes expe- 
dition against the Spaniards 
in Florida, 18; captures Span- 
ish forts at mouth of the river 
(St. Johns), 19; captures Fort 
San Mateo (formerly Ft. Car- 
oline), 20-21; hangs Span- 
iards, 21; returns to France, 
21; most spectacular figure in 
Florida’s early history; brief 
account of his life, 22. 

Freezes: Destructive, 1835, 15; 

1899, 216. List of damaging 

freezes, 496. 


Gala Week, 204, 230, 231. 

Garden Club, 442. 

Gardner Building, 203. 

Gato murder, 202. 

Georgia Southern & Florida Rail- 
way, 351. 

Glidden tour, 241. 

Golf course, municipal, 337. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


50T 


INDEX 


Gold, lure of early explorers, 7. 

Government, municipal, see Mu- 
nicipal. 

Grand Jury, first, 60, 67. 

Grand Opera, 174. 

Grant, Gen. U. S., funeral ob- 
served, 172. 

Grants, land, see Land Grants. 

Gun Club, 173. 


Hailstorm, severe, 233. 

Hangings, see Executions. 

Harbor, see Port. 

Harding, Warren G., 283. 

Hart, I. D., settler, 53; founder of 
Jacksonville, 57; his tomb, 58. 

Hawkins, Sir John, 10. 

Health, 498-499. 

Health, Board of, see Boards. 

Hemming Park, 115, 332. 

High Cost of Living, 252, 270, 278. 

High pressure water system, 314. 

Highways: Atlantic Boulevard, 
237; Jacksonville-Orange Park, 
247; Jacksonville-Lake City, 
283; San Jose Boulevard, 284. 

Hogans, L. Z., see Settlers. 

Home for the Aged, 442. 

Home for Working Girls, 441. 

Hotels, history of, 486-495. First 
Hotel, see Inn. Aragon, 173, 
488; Atlantic (near Mayport), 
249; Buffington, 486; Burbridge, 
493; Burnside Beach, 189; Carle- 
ton, 490; Casa Marina, 495; 
Continental (Atlantic Beach), 
494; Duval, 489; Everett, 488; 
Fort George Island, 494, 495; 
Judson, 118, 486; Mason, 492; 
Murray Hall, 498; St. James, 
487; St. Johns, 487; Seminole, 
245, 492; Windsor, 489. Fire 
record of beach hotels, 495. 

House Bill No. 4: 189, 288, 300. 

Huguenot ring found in an In- 
dian mound, 16. 

Huguenots, see French Colony. 

Hurricanes, see Storm Season. 


Ice Trust cases, 233. 
Idaho, ferryboat, 201. 


Illustrations, see list in front of 
book. 

Incorporation of Jacksonville, 70. 

Indians— 

Timuqua: Habits and customs, 
2, 3; become enemies of the 
French, 10; of the Spaniards, 
17; murder a Priest on Ft. 
George Island, 17; assist 
French in attacking Span- 
iards, 17-20; fords and trails, 
25; village on site of Jack- 
sonville, 24. 

Seminole: Newnan’s expedition 
against, 30; scalped by whites, 
32, 35; mode of fighting, 32- 
34; Seminole war, 76-81; 
scalping of Mrs. Johns, 78. 

Indigo plantations along St. Johns, 

26. 

Influenza epidemic, 272. 

Ingleside, 44. 

Ingleside Heights, 48. 

Inland waterway, 236. 

Inn, Mrs. Waterman’s, 53, 54, 57, 

59. 

Interstate drills, 187, 190. 


Jacksonville: Site of Indian vil- 
lage, Ossachite, 24; first known 
as Cow Ford, 25; first settlers 
in Spanish times, 40, 51-54; 
town founded, 54; dispute as to 
property lines, 54; survey of 
town, 55; then in St. Johns. 
County, 56; town named, 56;. 
first lot transfer, 56; Jackson- 
ville’s situation when founded, 
57; I. D. Hart founder of, 57- 
58; town developed slowly at 
first, 66; early description of, 
66; town begins to grow, 68; in- 
corporated, 70; first charter, 70; 
ninth town incorporated in Flor- 
ida, 74; railroad contemplated, 
74; bank organized, 74; whole- 
sale trade started, 74; Seminole 
war, 76-81; local conditions fol- 
lowing Seminole war, 82; poli- 
tics in the 1840’s, 86; first epi- 
demic of sickness, 86; residents 
of Jacksonville in early 1850’s, 


508 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


INDEX 


Jacksonville (Continued): 
with map showing location of 
every building in the town, 87- 
94; living conditions at that 
time, 95, 98; relation between 
master and slave, 95; social con- 
ditions preceding War Between 
the States, 112-114; town made 
a “city” by charter, 115; Jackson- 
ville during the War Between 
the States, 116-137; after the 
war (politically), 138-148; re- 
vival of business, 149-150; mili- 
tary occupation after the war, 
150-151; Jacksonville in 1870, 
152; in 1875, 153-154; tourist 
days, 160, 173, 491; known as 
“The Winter City in Summer- 
land’, 160, 164, 491; important 
railroad terminus, 161, 342; yel- 
low fever epidemic of 1888, 180; 
political turmoil, elective fran- 
chise taken away from people, 
299; devastating fire of 1891, 
191; the Spanish-American war, 
205-215; city destroyed by fire 
in 1901, 219-227; the money 
panic of 1907, 234; story of cre- 
ating a skyline, 244-246; busi- 
ness depression of 1914-16, 250- 
252; Jacksonville and the World 
war, 254-270; influenza epidemic 
of 1918, 272; Jacksonville in 
1924, 500. 

Jacksonville Bar Assn., 202, 203. 

Jacksonville Club, 167. 

Jacksonville Driving Assn., 169 
191. 

Jacksonville Light Infantry, 116, 
458-462. 

Jacksonville-Miami S. S. Line, 236. 

Jacksonville Rifles, 468-469. 

Jefferson, Joseph, 217. 

Jetties, St. Johns River, history 
of, 385-390. 

Jim Crow laws, 229, 232. 

John Gorrie Junior High School, 
422, 423. 

Johns, Mrs. Fleming, scalped by 
Indians, 78. 

Jones, Sam, evangelist, 192. 


? 


Journal, Jacksonville, newspaper, 
A455. 

Junior League, 443. 

Jury, grand, see Grand Jury. 

Juvenile Court, 244. 


Kings Road, 25, 26, 57. 

Kirby Smith Junior High School, 
60, 422. 

Kiwanis Club, 443. 

Knights of Columbus, 229. 

Knights of Pythias, 354, 444. 


Land Grants— 

English: Hastings, north side of 
the St. Johns, 26; Waterford, 
south side of the St. Johns, 
26; Abraham Jones, Ortega, 
26. 

Spanish grants, 39-50; how 
made, 39; base titles, 40. At- 
kinson (Shadow Lawn, Arden, 
Fishweir Park), 45; Dell 
(Brooklyn and Riverside), 42; 
Hendricks (South Jackson- 
ville), 41; Hendricks (La- 
Villa), 42; Hogans (East 
Jacksonville, Fairfield), 47; 
Hogans (Springfield), 49; 
Hutcheson (Willow Brook 
Park section and Ingleside), 
44; Hutcheson (Avondale, 
Ribault Place, Ingleside 
Heights), 48; Maestre (City 
east of Market Street), 47; 
McQueen (Ortega), 40; Pritch- 
ard (Jacksonville), 40; Tay- 
lor (City west of Market 
Street), 45. 

Laudonniere, see French Colony. 

LaVilla, 42-44, 287. 

Lawyer, first, 62. 

Library, see Public Library. 

Lighthouses, 388. 

Lightning: Strikes ferryboat, 218; 
causes destruction of Armour 
plant by fire, 234, 284. 

Lions Club, 444. 

Lotteries, 64. 

Lumber industry, 28, 86, 95. 

Lynchings, 274. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


599 


INDEX 


McGirts, Daniel, 26. 

McIntosh, J. H., and the Span- 
iards, 28. ; 

Maestre, John, see Settlers. 

Magic City, S. S., 236. 

Mail in early days, 338. 

Mallory Steamship Line, 367. 

Manufacturing, profitable, theo- 
retical southern limit, 433. 

Maps, see List of Illustrations in 
front of book. 

Markers, see Monuments. 

Market, first, 88. 

Marshal, City, office abolished, 290. 

Marooning parties, 112. 

Marriage license, first, 62. 

Masonic Lodge, first, 445. 

Mayor, office abolished, 290; re- 
created, 291. 

Mayors of Jacksonville: List of, 
1832 to 1861, 293. Record of 
each election and vote polled, 
1865 to 1924, 293-306. 

Memorials, see Monuments. 

Menendez, Pedro: Attacks French 
colony in Florida, see French 
Colony; attempts to move the 
Indians, 17; goes to Spain, 18; 
returns to Florida, 24. 

Merchants & Miners S. S. Line, 
367. 

Metropolitan Light Infantry, 466- 
468. 

Metropolis, newspaper, 455. 

Military: History of the local 
companies, 457-474; in the Sem- 
inole war, 457-458; Dixie Guards, 
469; Duval County Cow Boys, 
464; Jacksonville Blues, 470; 
Jacksonville Light Infantry, 116, 
458; Jacksonville Rifles, 468; 
Metropolitan Light Infantry, 
466; Metropolitan Grays, 469; 
St. Johns Grays, 462; Wilson’s 
Battery, 465; their aid to the 
civil authorities, 472-473; evolu- 
tion of the Florida National 
Guard, 470-472; local names of 
companies, 472; armories for 
local troops, 473; Interstate 


drills, 187, 190; mobilization of 
Second Regiment for duty on 
Texas frontier, 249. 

Mohawk Block burns, 192. 

Monuments: To Confederate sol- 
diers, 216, 226, 462; Women of 
the Confederacy, 248; World 
war dead, 284; N. B. Broward, 
253; Mrs. B. F. Dillon, 236; Dan- 
iel Boone Highway marker, 280; 
Ribault marker at Mayport, 23. 

Moody & Sankey, evangelists, 174. 

Moose, Loyal Order of, 444; 
Moosehaven at Orange Park, 
282. 

Mosquito theory, 185. 

Moss, Spanish, 5. 

Mothers’ Club, 230. 

Moving picture industry, 250; first 
moving picture shown in Jack- 
sonville, 203. 

Mulberry craze, 80. 

Municipal Boards, see Boards. 

Municipal Docks and Terminals, 
335-3837. 

Municipal Golf Course, 837. 

Municipal Government, 287-314; 
charter changes affecting, 287- 
291; municipality created, 287; 
House Bill No. 4, 288; City Com- 
mission created, 290; growth of 
the City Government, 291; elec- 
tions, 293-306. 

Municipal Improvements, 315-340. 

Municipal Judge, office created, 288. 

Murray Hill, 232, 249. 

Murders: Fagan-Carlin, 152; Gato, 
203; Hickman, 279. 


National Guard of Florida, 470- 
472. 

Neptune Beach, 248. 

Newnan’s expedition, 30. 

Newspapers, Jacksonville, record 
of, 448-456; list of editors, 456; 
history of the Florida Times- 
Union, 453-454; of the Jackson- 
ville Journal, 455. 

New York’s friendship for Jack- 
sonville, 153. 


610 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


INDEX 


Odd Fellows, 98, 443. 

Old Joe, 322, 

Orange industry, 161, 174. 

Ordinances of the early town, 107- 
110. 

Ortega, 26, 40. 


Pablo Beach: First development, 
169; first town officers, 233; 
life-saving station, 243; large 
fires, 198, 247, 248, 4938; Bank of, 
485; Murray Hall hotel, 493. 

Pageant, Florida Historical, 281. 

Palace Theatre, 274. 

Panics, money, 1837, 79; 1873, 154, 
157; 1884, 169; 1907, 234. Busi- 
ness depression of 1914-16, 250- 
252. 

Parks, City, 332-835. Dixieland 
Park, 238; “Phenix” Park, 229. 

Park Opera House, 168. 

Patriot Revolution: Causes of, 28; 
Patriots capture Fernandina and 
march toward St. Augustine, 29; 
rendezvous at Cow Ford (Jack- 
sonville), 29, 35, Newnan’s expe- 
dition, 30; Patriots destroy prop- 
erty, 35; Patriot flag, 36. 

Patrol, Town, 107, 306, 307. 

Paupers, early ordinance against, 
110. 

Paving, Street, history of, 325; 
first brick paving, 201. 

Photographer, first, 90. 

Plant, Henry B., railroad devel- 
oper, 343; his death, 348; will 
contest, 348. 

Playground and Recreation Board, 
see Boards. 

Pneumatic cash system, first, 236. 

Police Commissioners, see Boards. 

Police Department, history of, 
806-310. 

Ponce de Leon: Discovers Florida, 
1; lands near Pablo Beach and 
takes possession for Spain, 1; 
did not cross the Guana or Pablo 
Creek, 2; the flowers that he 
saw, 1; departs, 2. 

Population of Jacksonville, 500. 

Port Commission, see Boards. 


Port of Jacksonville, history of, 
‘ 383-392. 
Postmasters, list of, 340. 
Post Office, history of, 338. 
Primaries, see Elections. 
Pritchard, Robert, see Settlers. 
Prison Farm, 310. 
Prize-fight, Corbett-Mitchell, 199. 
Prohibition, 176, 239, 271. 
Protestant prayer, first in U. S., 5. 
Public Library, history of, 428-431. 
Public Works, see Boards. 
Quarantines, 102, 163, 165, 176, 
198, 204, 217. 


| 

Races, horse: Amateur, 171. Pro- 
fessional, 174, 240; effect of, 240. 

Radio, 283. 

Railroads: As developers, 161-162; 
first to Jacksonville, 341; first 
through train from the North, 
343; Jacksonville becomes im- 
portant terminus, 348. Corpo- 
rate history of: Atlantic Coast 
Line, 345-348; Atlantic, Valdos- 
ta & Western, 352; East Florida, 
345; Florida Central, 343; Flor- 
ida Central & Western, 344; 
Florida Central & Peninsular, 
344; Florida East Coast, 349- 
351; Florida Railway & Naviga- 
tion Company, 344; Fernandina 
& Jacksonville, 345; Georgia 
Southern & Florida, 351; Great 
Southern, 345; Jacksonville & 
Atlantic (to Pablo), 350; Flor- 
ida, Atlantic & Gulf Central, 
341; Jacksonville, Mayport & 
Pablo, 353; Jacksonville, Tampa 
& Key West, 347; Jacksonville, 
St. Augustine & Halifax River, 
349; Jacksonville & Southwest- 
ern, 348; Plant System merger 
with Atlantic Coast Line, 348; 
Savannah, Florida & Western, 
345; Seaboard Air Line, 343-345; 
Southern Railway, 351-3538; 
Waycross & Florida, 345. Rail- 
road depots, 356; waterfront 
franchises, 355; Plant System 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


511 


INDEX 


Railroads (Continued): 
speed record, 346; bridge across 
St. Johns River, 351. 

Realty transfer, first in Jackson- 
ville, 56. 

Reconstruction of civil govern- 
ment after War Between the 
States, 141-143; military admin- 
istration, 142, 143; Col. John T. 
Sprague, 143; government turned 
over to the “carpet-baggers”, 
148. 

Recorder, City, office created, 287. 

Red Cross, 489. 

Red-light district closed, 247. 

Red Men, Order of, 443. 

Republic of Florida, 36. 

Ribault, see French Colony. 

Ribault Place, 48, 281. 

Rifie matches, National, 249, 250. 

Rifles, Jacksonville, see Military. 

Ring, Huguenot, found in Indian 
mound, 16. 

Riots, 151, 156; Clark’s Mill, 162; 
riot of 1892, 196-198; Street 
Railway, 242. 

River Navigation, 358-371; first 
steamboat on St. Johns, 358; 
record of early steamboats on 
the river, 358-360; the D. H. 
Mount, 361; Jacksonville-Savan- 
nah service, 358, 361; Jackson- 
ville-Charleston service, 359,363; 
St. Johns River lines after the 
War Between the States, 363- 
3866; ferryboats, 366; Mallory 
Line, 367; Clyde Line, 367; Mer- 
chants & Miners Line, 368; Jack- 
sonville-Miami Line, 236; Chris- 
topher N. Y. Line, 195; fate of 
many of the St. Johns River 
boats, 369-371. 

River, underground, 24, 88. 

Riverside, 42. 

Roads, paved, see Highways. 

Robberies: Hotel, 159; bank, 247, 
279, 479. 

Roosevelt, Theodore, 232. 

Rotary Club, 445. 

Rotten Row, 168. 


St. Johns bar, 6, 104, 383-386. 

St. Johns Bluff: Locality of first 
substantial attempt to colonize 
in U. S., see French Colony; as 
first known to the white man, 9; 
erosion at,389; Confederate bat- 
tery on, 116, 126; Spanish- 
American war battery, 213; 
cradle of United States history, 
28. 

St. Johns River: Discovered by Ri- 
bault, 4; its various names, 37; 
steamboat navigation on, 358- 
371; romance of, 360-361. 

St. Luke’s Hospital, history of, 
424-428. 

St. Mary’s Home, 445. 


Safety zones, street, 284. 


San Jose Boulevard, 284. 

Salvation Army, 445. 

Sawmill, first, 67; first circular 
sawmill, 95. 

Scalawag, 144. 

Scarlet Fever, 102. 

Schools: System of education be- 
fore the War Between the States, 
415-416; LaVilla Institute, 44, 
416; school affairs following the 
war, 416-418; mixed schools, 416; 
establishment of public schools, 
417-418; modern expansion, 419; 
list of County Superintendents, 
419-420. Duval High School, 
history of, 420-422; list of Prin- 
cipals, 422. The Junior High 
Schools, 422-423. 

Seaboard Air Line Railway, 343- 
345. 

Seal of Jacksonville, 292. 

Seamen’s Institute, 445. 

Seminole Club, 446. 

Settlers, first at Cow Ford (Jack- 
sonville): Robert Pritchard, 40, 
51; L. Z. Hogans, 51; Juan 
Maestre, 51; John Brady, 52; 
William G. Dawson, 52; Stephen 
E. Buckles, 52; I. D. Hart, 58; 
Daniel C. Hart, 53; Mrs. Sarah 
Waterman and children, 58; 
Joseph Andrews, 54. 

Shadow Lawn, 45. 


512 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


INDEX 


Shipbuilding, first at Jacksonville, 
106; during the World war, 260. 

Skyline, story of, 244-246. 

Slaves, treatment of, 95; recovery 
of runaway, 96; the whipping 
post, 306, 307. 

Smallpox, 97, 165, 241. 

Smith, Gipsy, evangelist, 284, 

Social life in slavery times, 112- 
114. 

South Jacksonville, 41, 234. 

Southern Railway, 351-353. 

Spanish-American war, see War. 

Spanish land grants, see Land 
Grants. 

Spanish-Huguenot episodes, 
French Colony. 

Speed record, Plant System, 346. 

Sprague, John T., 143. 

Springfield, 49. 

Stage line, 97. 

State Camp, see Camps. 

State Fair, first, 156. 

State Park Association, 160. 

Steamboats and Steamships, see 
River Navigation. 

Store, first at Cow Ford, 52, 66. 

Storm season, 498. 

Street names, 54, 56, 58, 389. 

Street Railway, history of, 372-375; 
Jim Crow laws, 229, 232. 

Strikes, labor, 162, 165, 174, 229, 
204, 22 Zool LID, 2h Oy ede 

‘Souvenirs, sale of to tourists, 160, 
161. 

Sub-Tropical Exposition: Purpose 
of, 176; Exposition of 1888, 177; 
of 1889, 187; of 1890, 189; of 
1891, 191; as a County Fair, 191; 
Interstate drills at, 187, 190. 
Name changed to Zoological 
Gardens, 198. Buildings re- 
moved, 322. 

Summer Climate, 496-497. 

Sunday closing (liquor) law, 163, 
165, 166, 170, 201. 

Sunday, Rev. Billy, evangelist, 277. 

Sunstrokes, 497. 


see 


Talleyrand, 372. 
Tamarind soft drink, 99. 


Tax Rate, City, 320. 

Telegraph, first, 110. 

Telephone: First in Jacksonville, 
159; controversy between citi- 
zens and Telephone Company, 
171; first automatic, 247; con- 
solidation of Bell and Automatic 
companies, 276; Riverside auto- 
matic service, 278. Long Dis- 
tance service to Savannah, 204; 
to the Pacific coast, 249. 

Three Friends, famous tugboat, 
205-208. 

Times-Union, newspaper, 453. 

Timuquana Club, 446. 

Trans-continental ah flights, see 
Aeronautics. 

Transportation, Urban, 372-382. 

Treasurer, City, office created, 287. 

Tobacco known to early Indians, 3. 

Tornadoes, 497. 

Tourist travel, 160, 167, 173, 176, 
491, 494, 


United Daughters of Confederacy, 
446. 

U.S. Daughters of 1812, 444. 

U.S. Government Building, 87,340. 


U.S. Engineers va Set in har- 
bor work, 391-392 
University Club, 252. 


Viaducts: Adams Street, 329; 
Broad Street, 328; Duval Street, 
328; Lee Street, 329. 

Volusia, Steamboat, explosion, 164. 


War, Seminole: Causes of, 76; 
trade demoralized, 76; block 
house, 77; attacks by the Indians, 
77; country settlements broken 
up, 77; scalping of Mrs. Johns, 
78; letters from Mandarin as to 
Indian activities, 80-81. 

War Between the States: First 
local troop movement, 116; 
threatened Federal occupation, 
116; Mayor’s proclamation to 
the citizens, 116; Jacksonville 
abandoned by Southern resi- 
dents, 117; official records buried, 
117; property burned by Confed- 
erates, 118. 


HISTORY OF JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA 


513 


INDEX 


War Between the States (Cont’d): 
First Federal occupation, 118; 
proclamation of the loyal citi- 
zens, 119; loyalists convention, 
121; first blood of the war 
near Jacksonville, 121; city 
evacuated by Federal army, 
122; unfortunate for the loyal 
citizens, 122; proclamation of 
the Federal commander, 122- 
123. 

Second Federal occupation, 126; 
purpose of, 127; the evacua- 
tion, 127. 

Third Federal occupation, 127; 
Federal army composed of 
negroes under white officers, 
128; fortifications erected in 
LaVilla by Federals, 128; 
skirmishing, 128-129; the cel- 
ebrated Confederate railroad 
battery, 129-130; evacuation 
and burning of Jacksonville 
by Federal troops, 130-132. 

Fourth Federal occupation of 
the city, its purpose, 138; bat- 
tle of Olustee, 134; return of 
Federal army to Jacksonville, 
184; Confederate Camp Mil- 
ton, 134; Confederates place 
torpedoes in St. Johns River, 
which destroy three Federal 
gunboats, 185, and nearly 
cause the evacuation of Jack- 
sonville by Federal army, 136; 
closing scenes of the war, 137; 
another loyalists convention 
called, 137. 

War, Spanish-American: City 
passes resolutions condemning 
Spain, 203;  filibustering, 205- 
207; local boats engaged in, 
207-208; troop movements, 209- 
210; Jacksonville becomes com- 
missary depot for Seventh Army 
Corps, 209; Duval County’s 
Honor Roll, 210; Camp Cuba 
Libre, 210-218; regiments at 
Camp Cuba Libre, 212; sick- 
ness in the camp, 211; battery 
on St. Johns Bluff, 213; mines in 


St. Johns River, 213; business 
and social conditions during the 
war, 214-215. 

War, World: Activities preceding, 
254; troop movements, 255-256; 
first soldier killed, 255; City in- 
vests in Liberty bonds, 257; hon- 
oring the flag, 257; armistice 
celebration, 257; liquor and 
drunkenness among the soldiers, 
264, 265, 271; how Jacksonville 
treated the soldiers, 265. Duval 
County’s Honor Roll, 258; the 
Draft, 259; Financial Drives, 
259; Shipbuilding, 260; Camp 
Joseph E. Johnston, 262; Home 
Guards, 266; Civilian War 
Work, 269; Living Conditions in 
Jacksonville during the war, 
269sHiG) L270, 271, 

Wards, City, created: 1 to 9, 287; 
10 and 11, 290; 12 to 15, 291. 
Waterman, Mrs. Sarah, see Set- 

tlers. 

Waterspout, 226. 

Waterworks, history of, 320-323. 

Watterson, Henry, 280. 

Whipping Post, 306, 307. 

Wholesale Trade, beginning of, 74. 

Wilson’s Battery, see Military. 

Wilson, Woodrow, 242, 284. 

Wireless, first message, 217; first 
commercial message, 236. 

Woman’s Club, history of, 437-439. 

Woman’s suffrage, 277. 

Women, white, first in U. S.,11, 23. 

Woodmen of World, 447. 

Wrestling matches, 164. 


Yacht America, 1238. 

Yacht Club, see Florida Y. C. 

Yellow Bluff fraud, 145. 

Yellow Fever epidemics, 1857, 106; 
1877, 157; 1888, 180-186. Quar- 
antines, 102, 163, 176, 198, 204, 
217. Concussion Theory, 183; 
Mosquito Theory, 185. 

Young Men’s Christian Assn., 447. 

Young Women’s Christian Assn., 
447, 


Zeeburg, S. S., 236. 


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